The return of the Mystic Girl
by Eternal Nightshade
Summary: My first fiction. Not recommended, even by author. Very old. OC.
1. New Problems, Old friends

This is my first fan-fic so be nice okay?  
  
Well... Here's a summary: Hitomi Kanzaki has been away from Gaea for three years. She had intended to come back to a normal life and not think much of Van. People less notice her lately. Her friend Yukari is gone with Amano in England because they are very much a couple. Hitomi now is away from her family; she lives by herself and works.  
  
I have to point out the most important change I made.  
  
I added a character: Sarah Kataryne. (Who only exists in Escaflowne in MY STORIES! No where else.)  
  
She was with Hitomi most of her trip to Gaea. Her story is a lone Knight who's family died and sister disappeared. She has a love for Hitomi as a friend. She met her when they came to Allen. She is found out later as to be half- draconian like Van and is the leader a group of forest dragon knights.  
  
She has one power: Mystic healing. She was also a great swordsgirl and she has a Guymelef of her own.  
  
Disclaimer: ...I *Sniff *...don't *sniff *...own Escaflowne! WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!  
  
=============================  
  
Tick Tock...Tick Tock...  
  
Hitomi Kanzaki sighed. She came back to her house from a hard job, and stared Eye to eye with a red and white Japanese fighting fish.  
  
"Hey there V..." She said to her fish.  
  
She had Gotten V as a present from her brother when she left the house. Staring at the fish with its white fins gracefully feeling the waters reminded her of an old friend. Hitomi once more sighed and frowned while looking up at the sky. She saw above her Gaea and remembers back to when she had first meet Van shlanzar De Fanel.  
  
"I miss you...I wonder if you remember me...?" she said quietly to herself.  
  
A few minutes later she was at the table of her tiny kitchen and was sipping on some tea...when suddenly a dark figure rushed to her house.  
  
She only got a glimpse of one thing.... A Sword!  
  
"Was it...Could it be?" she ran to the door and heard a banging noise.  
  
She threw the door open...to reveal a breathless figure kneeling over out of exhaustion. The person raised their face to meet Hitomi...and Hitomi Gasped...  
  
"It's you!"  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
"Hitomi!" cried Sarah. She stood at the door panting.  
  
"Sarah! What are you doing here! How could you've gotten here?"  
  
"That..." Sarah puffed and tried to catch her breath  
  
"Is why I came here." said Sarah still breathless.  
  
"Do you need to sit down?" Hitomi asked while still in shock, because this should be impossible for Sarah to even be here.  
  
Sarah gratefully took a seat and the small table. And after a few minutes caught her breath.  
  
"Hitomi...there is something I need to tell you." Said Sarah with nothing but seriousness in her eyes.  
  
"Okay...but first how did you get here? Is it really...I mean...how?" said Hitomi.  
  
Hitomi had nothing but questions going through her head, and only one made it's way through...she had to know how Sarah got here.  
  
"That's what I came to tell you...and I have something else you must know."  
  
"What?" Hitomi said realizing that there was something wrong with how Sarah was acting.  
  
"It's about Van." and Hitomi gasped.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
"What happened? Is he okay?"  
  
Hitomi's face flooded with worry and her emerald eyes swirled wide with fear.  
  
"You had better listen to the whole story." Sarah said forcing her face to show less worry to calm Hitomi.  
  
"You have been gone a long time Hitomi...after you left...all of Gaea began to show peace and happiness...especially Fanelia. Many kings were full of love for money or battle and cared very little for life...But Van was nothing like that. He cared for his people and over the years became a strong leader." Hitomi couldn't help but interrupt with worry and fear getting stronger  
  
"But Sarah...how is this...?"  
  
"Hitomi...I know you're anxious...but please restrain yourself...I'm getting there." And with a new breath, Sarah continued  
  
"After everything was repaired...the sun seemed brighter again. We were all happy...until one day." Sarah's face suddenly became dark with anger and sorrow  
  
"Zaibach...how that name is cursed...it...it's back Hitomi. Zaibach is back."  
  
Hitomi realized the seriousness of this...But who could be leading them? With Folken and Dornkirk dead...Who was left?  
  
"Sarah...who's leading Zaibach?"  
  
Sarah sighed and turned to Hitomi.  
  
"Nobody...yet."  
  
"What do you mean...yet?" Said Hitomi still not understanding  
  
"There are the scientists...they weren't killed and to add to it...I think they have found someone who can take control."  
  
"Who?" Hitomi asked confused.  
  
"Dilandau." Sarah said with a stony expression.  
  
"W-w-w-what? How did they...?"  
  
"They created him once...they can do it again...but they need Celena's help...they realized making him in her was a mistake."  
  
"But to explain...I'll continue on what came about. You see...some spies didn't trust the peace and kept an eye on things. The minute we suspected war by Zaibach again...There were two names that came up. Things that could help us were suggested...and the first to come up was...You Hitomi."  
  
And Sarah looked at Hitomi to let it sink in. Hitomi looked back in surprise and started to say something but couldn't so Sarah continued.  
  
"But Van wouldn't have it."  
  
Hitomi was surprised before, but now she was not only surprised but also puzzled. Hitomi's thoughts were racing still confused...If that wasn't why Sarah was here...then why?  
  
Seeing Hitomi's expression Sarah continued to explain.  
  
"You know Hitomi." Hitomi turned from her thoughts to Sarah. "Every single time someone would mention asking your help I could see Van fighting with himself...He wanted to get your help and he wanted to see you again but..."  
  
Hitomi waited for Sarah to continue.  
  
"But what?" Hitomi thought impatiently.  
  
"But He knew that you hated war and wouldn't let you go through that again, not when there was a possibility of war...he wouldn't ask you to go through that again for all of Gaea."  
  
Hitomi sat in silence *Van. * She thought  
  
"The other name was...Escaflowne...But again Van refused, He had said that his brother wanted a world without anybody needing Escaflowne."  
  
"The people even more suggested Escaflowne because of wanting to see their king triumph in battle." Sarah explained.  
  
"Anyway, we went to the battlefield. Allen had Celena transported to Austuria because she was staying in Fanelia at the time...Everyone of my Knights were there...They were all ready to defend Fanelia and her king to the death, because they knew how strong friends Van and I are."  
  
"They admired Van and each respected him as much as they did me. They loved Fanelia as their home land and were ready to defend it at all costs and then the Battle began..."  
  
Sarah's eyes began to seem lost and far away. Hitomi could tell that Sarah was reliving the battle itself in her mind as if it was happing at that very moment.  
  
"Millions of Guymelefs poured onto the field...we fought them off as best we could. Van kept being surrounded. He would slash one and two more would take its place...I ran to him to throw a few off him but...of all the stupidest things I have ever done in my life...I tripped. I had my Guymelef up in a flash, but not fast enough...three soldiers blocked my way."  
  
Sarah was now shaking and Pain shot through her eyes as she continued.  
  
"I took them down quickly...but as I did, Van's blue Guymelef fell to the ground and Van was unconscious. I ran...but they piled on him and I was left to watch helplessly as they flew back to the fortress.."  
  
Hitomi's eyes widened.  
  
"They took him Hitomi...They kidnapped Van!"  
  
" B-b-b-but...How did you get here...You need my pendant...And I gave it to Van." Said Hitomi still reeling from shock.  
  
"Well that's just it...the day when we were to go out into battle...Van was silent all day, except one time. When we were getting ready for battle." Sarah's face became even darker with sorrow  
  
"He asked to speak to me alone...he handed me your pendant asking me to hold onto it, and said "If anything happens to me...I want you to take care of this and find Hitomi." and then he left."  
  
Hitomi finally understood.  
  
"After Van was taken I rode Escaflowne and used you pendant to come here."  
  
Hitomi became even quieter  
  
"Hitomi...Zaibach is known now for its cruelty and they hate Van for getting in the way. Hitomi, I don't want to ask your help, because I know you hate war...but..." Hitomi suddenly became furious  
  
"What are you talking about?! Van is in danger! How could I not help?" Hitomi looked at Sarah with such determination that Sarah realized that a stampede of Dragons couldn't have kept Hitomi from going!  
  
Sarah nodded and prepared to led Hitomi to were she had set Escaflowne down and Hitomi grabbed her bag and Jacket and everything she would need and followed Sarah to the Guymelef, But Sarah stopped Hitomi from getting on  
  
"Hitomi, wait...you forgot this." And held up Hitomi's pendant.  
  
Hitomi thanked Sarah and hung it around her neck. Hitomi stepped on and a column of bright pink light flashed from the heavens to carry them away.  
  
They appeared on Gaea as the sun began to rise showering the world in a fiery glow. Escaflowne took flight and off they were, with Sarah as the pilot they flew to the Zaibach fortress with great speed. The dragon angrily tore through the sky as if somehow knowing that its master was in trouble.  
  
Hitomi could think of only one thing "Van I'm coming!" Hitomi shouted to the wind.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
That's all for now... Please tell me what do you think...be nice! This is my first one! 


	2. Enter the shadows

Okay...Umm.... My last Chapter was an experiment and I was testing the story maker for the first time...I know it didn't turn out perfect so don't kill me yet. It IS gonna get better I just started so give me a break. Now let me verify some things: 1: this is a V/H pairing. Two: I am going to give you a bio of Sarah because I hardly described anything about her.  
  
Name: Sarah Kataryn (cat-uh-Rene)  
  
Age: (now...it's been three years): 20, since she was two years older than Van and Hitomi.  
  
Status: The commander of the Clan of Forest Dragon knights, a Draconian Girl.  
  
Weapon: Sword and Guymelef. (Duh! what did you expect? a ray gun?)  
  
Guymelef's name(s): Angel, phoenix.  
  
Physical description: Reddish earth brown hair with Gold, Ruby red eyes that sometimes seem purplish (But when mad they are red...REALLY red.) Taller than Hitomi, almost level with Van, but slightly taller...(By an inch or so...)  
  
Attitude: Calm, rational, and occasionally fun. She loves the company of Van and Hitomi and sees them as younger siblings that she watches over. (And she did have feelings for Van but now only wants him to be happy with Hitomi.)  
  
One last thing: WARNINGS: If you are a Folken lover.... You can read this...but this is after Hitomi left...and Hitomi watched Folken die.... Which means.... He isn't gonna be in this, save flashbacks. (Possible flash backs. I don't know if I'll have any of him.)  
  
If you are a Dilandau lover...I want to be nice and Warn you that I myself am not gonna be that nice to dilly-boy and he...*Ahem* Might not come to a good end...I am debating that with MY other self right now.... I wanna warn you to go the extra mile and be kind enough to spare you.  
  
Disclaimer thingy: *Gets Allen's talked about Cage in 22 (I think it was 22) and stuffs Hitomi inside*  
  
Hitomi: HEY! Let me outta here!  
  
Me: *Mumbles to self *: Allen was right about this one...OH! Hi...*Whistles.... Trying desperately to look like nothing happened *...What? Well... I wouldn't have to do this If they would just give me Escaflowne! Arg! Okay...I'll return her...Man! _  
  
Chapter name: 2: Pain deep within  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------  
  
Recap:  
  
The dragon angrily tore through the sky as if somehow knowing that its master was in trouble. Hitomi could think of only one thing "Van I'm coming!" Hitomi shouted to the wind.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They continued to shoot forward as Sarah gripped the controls and Hitomi hung on for dear life. Sarah smiled at Hitomi, hearing her words and seeing the determination in her eyes.  
  
The Zaibach floating fortress came Closer and Closer and Sarah eased on the controls getting the white dragon to slow and then gently and quietly land. They were lucky that all the soldiers were away from that room except one, which Sarah Grabbed from behind and knocked out.  
  
As they moved through the halls as quietly as cats Hitomi noticed even the walls themselves seem to groan with sorrow and yet hatred at the same time. They were cold as ice and were Made of steel as black as the midnight sky, when all light seems to lose hope and all cause of existence.  
  
They continued making slow progress hoping not to run into any guards, but when they did, Sarah used her quick reflexes and made her face the only thing they saw before the inside of their eyelids, slumbering away.  
  
Sarah seemed to look for something after knocking out guards. About the fourth guard that she knocked out, she found it. She held up a ring of keys to the dim light and they were marked "Jail keys" A smile formed across Sarah's face and she moved swifter than ever before.  
  
Sarah went so fast that Hitomi had to sprint to catch up. Then Sarah became very solemn and she turned to Hitomi putting a finger to her lips meaning that they had to be extremely quiet now. Sarah led the way down the hall to a staircase and came to a steel gate. Sarah took the biggest key and tried it. It worked and they went through. A smile of relief crossed Sarah's face as she saw only one guard on duty.  
  
*This will be easier than I thought. * Sarah said to herself. A soft thwack came out as Sarah hit the guard on his head with her sword hilt.  
  
"Sweet dreams, It won't be pleasant when you wake-up though..." Sarah whispered with a smirk on her face and kept turning corners in the labyrinth that was the dungeon.  
  
One door caught her eye suddenly it was written in Gaean writing so Hitomi couldn't read it and Sarah explained that it said "The King's holding place."  
  
*Real smart Zaibach...I would have never has figured that one out... * Sarah thought sarcastically.  
  
Hitomi in the mean time was growing extremely nervous as she thought about everything that was happening.  
  
*And to top it off I am in the place that got destroyed because of me, and I am positive nobody here holds any warm happy feelings about me! * Hitomi thought. *Quiet! * Barked another voice in her head. *You are doing this for Van, remember? * And she instantly snapped to.  
  
Hitomi heard the jangle of keys as Sarah tried every one and finally found the right one. Sarah opened the door slowly and grabbed Hitomi, leading her inside.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
"Sir?" Said an unknown voice in the shadows.  
  
"Yes? Are the experiments ready?" replied a hooded stranger.  
  
"Yes sir! Ready and waiting!" replied the messenger.  
  
"Very good, I will look into that later, you are dismissed." Replied Hood Dude.  
  
"Sir! Yes sir!" The messenger returned to business.  
  
"We will succeed, Zaibach shall reign!" Thundered the hooded man as he returned to darkness.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi found her self in a fairly large room at the top of a staircase of gray stone. The whole room was gray and cold, made of thick stone. She looked around the room and noticed the one thing wasn't gray...It was white!  
  
Hitomi Squinted, but couldn't make it out...She went a few steps down and then recognized it instantly  
  
...It was Van!  
  
Those white things were his wings...She suddenly gasped, Van was in chains but that wasn't what surprised her...(I mean, it was a dungeon, after all.)  
  
The thing that surprised Hitomi was he was covered with blood! He had it on his face, in his hair, his arms, it soaked his pants and even his wings...Those white, snowy, wings...were dripping blood...Hitomi looked in horror.  
  
*Van! * She thought, with shining tears in her Emerald eyes.  
  
(Now we switch to Sarah's POV)  
  
Meanwhile Sarah had gone down the stairs and was making her way to Van. Suddenly Sarah realized that she couldn't hear footsteps behind her and looked up at Hitomi. Sarah saw the shining tears in Hitomi's eyes that threatened to fall and the pain in the depths of those eyes.  
  
Sarah looked at Hitomi with a wave of sympathy realizing how the girl felt, for she felt it herself. *Poor Hitomi.... It must hurt her to see Van like this. *  
  
Sarah turned back to Van and continued forward thinking, but now is not the time to stop. Sarah was right next to Van. At the sight of him, she winced. Ouch! Poor Van seems more appropriate! She stared at the bloody scares that came from torture, interrogation, beating and who knows what.  
  
She started to unchain Van, when she noticed that Hitomi was still at the stairs. She wanted to let the girl be, but knew this was not the time.  
  
"Hitomi!" She whispered as load as she dared to "Come down here and help me!"  
  
Hitomi all but whimpering came down the stairs and grabbed a key. She looked at Van's faced and could barely hold back her tears.  
  
Sarah at the time was thinking, *If only I could use my gift to heal Van...but then...* she thought. * I don't have the time to heal him and if I did, I don't have the energy...I get far too tired from healing and I have to make it out of here first! *  
  
Sarah was recalling that she wanted to fall into sleep right here, and healing was not a good Idea at this time.  
  
Hitomi had freed his feet and Sarah had freed his hands that hung above his head. Sarah hoisted Van on her back and thanked her stars she decided NOT to wear heavy armor on this trip. She sprinted out of the dungeon with Hitomi on her heels and breathed heavily from exhaustion. Hitomi's feet ached and she groaned at having to run.  
  
Sarah turned to Hitomi and spoke "Hitomi! We need to take a shortcut through the labs, but the scientists are in there right now and we need to take utmost precaution...We can't be heard." Hitomi nodded and followed.  
  
They crept behind desks and chairs to find suitable hiding spots and Sarah went ahead, setting Van down any chance she got. Sarah motioned to Hitomi to follow but she was afraid that she wouldn't make it without them hearing her.  
  
"Hitomi come on!" Sarah mouthed.  
  
"That's easy for you to say!" Hitomi mouthed back.  
  
"Just go!" Sarah whispered.  
  
And Hitomi sprinted over to the last stop before they reached the door and were out of this awful place, but she didn't make it. She toppled a table over and felt something sharp hit her in the back. All the scientists spun around to Hitomi, who had jumped up in fright.  
  
Hitomi shot a "Hi there." nervous look.  
  
*So much for sneaking to the door! * Thought Sarah angrily and shot Hitomi a glare.  
  
Hitomi shrugged.  
  
"Fine then! Don't anybody move! I swear if you move a muscle I will kill you all, nothing personal, I just wanna live." Sarah shouted to the scientists and they immediately became quiet and none moved an inch.  
  
"Very good...I promise I won't hurt you if you comply."  
  
And Sarah moved towards the door with her eyes to the scientists, before turning around and sprinting with everything she had left. They raced through the halls and sped into the hanger. Sarah handed Van over to Hitomi when they were on Escaflowne. Sarah gripped the controls and shoved off, the magnificent wings spread and glimmered white.  
  
*Darn that Zaibach! But at least we're free. * Thought Sarah triumphantly.  
  
At the same time Hitomi had Van's head cradled in her lap. *I'm back Van...I am finally back. *  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- No it's not over.... It's not time to stop already. I don't write stories THAT short. They ARE in the middle of a War. So I wanna clarify that. Please review! I'm am gonna need them and if you wanna hear what happens next sooner...Review! It'll solve anything! World hunger...okay...I'm going a bit far, but.. Ya know...  
  
Btw I wanted to thank the other person who made this possible...One of the main Characters that I actually own! Sarah!  
  
Sarah: Hi there! It's me......WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHO AM I???? You are reading about me right now...That's better...I will continue to help my LESSER half on MY story.  
  
Me: I HEARD THAT!!!  
  
Bye! And review on your way out! ^_~ 


	3. So closeYet SO far

^_^ Okay! I'm back! I got reviews! YAY! Thanx: Kathryn! Thank you for your encouragement! I posted the last Chapter before I saw your review so I never got to thank you! Okay, well I am obviously doing something-right sooooo I'll keep going! Sarah: Nope! I am the one who is doing things right around here! (Me): Sarah! Arg! *Stuffs her back in story *  
  
And thanx Jes: Thanx 4 the encouragement and I am going to finish this story if it kills Sarah...Sarah: @.@U (bug eyed w/ sweat drop!) me: jus' kidding.  
  
To sqeekers: Thanx! I appreciate it...Thanx 4 the compliment about Sarah.*Is cut off* Sarah: I luv you! Me: Okay...you got a compliment...happy? Sarah: YES! Me: Me too!  
  
(I luv you people!) Well...On with the story!  
  
Disclaimer Sarah: She doesn't own anything but her own Imagination and through it...She owns the world! Bwahahahahahahaha! (Me): ...umm...yeah...right...are you feeling alright...?  
  
(* These being around sentences means that Character is thinking, not talking...like *hi! * and not "hi!")  
  
Chapter 3: so close yet...sooooo far!  
  
Recap: Sarah handed Van over to Hitomi when they were on Escaflowne. Sarah gripped the controls and shoved off, the magnificent wings spread and glimmered white. *Darn that Zaibach! But at least we're free. * Thought Sarah triumphantly. At the same time Hitomi had Van's head cradled in her lap. *I'm back Van...I am finally back. * (One thing I forgot to add) Hitomi was oblivious to the small mark on her back from a needle that she got back at Zaibach, or what it meant. ~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah began to get tired and fall asleep, but Escaflowne bucked to wake her up.  
  
"Sarah! What's wrong with you? What are you doing?" Said Hitomi who was recovering from Escaflowne's sudden movement.  
  
"I'm sorry Hitomi...But...I am Exhausted...I don't know how much farther I can go..." Sarah muttered trying desperately to fight off the urge to close her eyes.  
  
"Then we have to set down...How far is Fanelia?" Hitomi questioned, hoping for the answer "not Far." because she was tired too...since she never slept last night, when this whole thing began.  
  
"I am afraid we aren't going to make it...I have one place we can set down..." *I thought something like this might happen so I made arrangements...* Sarah thought to herself.  
  
The dragons shadow fell over a house and Sarah seemed to react. She tried to land Escaflowne gently...But didn't have much luck in steering, and almost lost it all together. "Ouch!" Hitomi yelped from the harsh landing, but more from surprise, than pain.  
  
"Sorry Hitomi, I couldn't help it..." Sarah muttered with a red face from her actions. She led the way towards the cottage with van in her arms as she would hold a baby (no offence towards him, I just mean she carried him that way.) and told Hitomi to walk along behind her.  
  
Hitomi took in the scenery. It was full of mountains and brooks and Trees, More trees than the biggest park in the world! They showed a bright green and were tall and broad, and instantly made you want to sit under them. Hitomi noticed that they were getting close to the house, and saw it was the perfect storybook woodcutter's cottage.  
  
Sarah was ready to collapse, but kept telling herself * Don't do it! You're almost there! * They came to the red wooden door and Sarah knocked a strange tune.  
  
A welcoming voice from inside called out. "Who is there and why should I welcome you?"  
  
Sarah spoke up saying in a strange voice "I am the Great forest and I come with the Mystic moon by my side and Fanelia in my arms!" Sarah smiled.  
  
"Very well, great forest! Come in!" and the voice revealed to be a man about twenty-five years old. He smiled at them with a warm look invited them to come and sit down. "Sarah! Welcome!" Said the man  
  
"Eric! It's nice to see you." Said Sarah with her voice wavering. "What's wrong? You don't sound yourself..." Hitomi spoke up.  
  
"I am alright...just...Eric would you take him for me..." and she handed Eric the unconscious Van, and then promptly collapsed.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi woke up in a strange room, on a soft thing, which she discovered was a bed. She began to piece together her thoughts. *I am in the cottage since I passed out after Sarah collapsed...* "Okay then..." Said Hitomi to nobody in particular. "I guess I'll go find Sarah and Van..."  
  
The Hitomi walked to the log door looking around her own room. Her room had a small window with white drapes and a blue rug, Her bed was a simple one that had pink cotton sheets and a small feather pillow that had a silky case.  
  
She walked out of her room into another simple room, but didn't have time to look around this one because in the corner was, Sarah sleeping on the couch. "Sarah!" Hitomi went over to wake her up, but Eric stopped her.  
  
"Hitomi...Don't wake her, She needs her sleep, after the battle and everything else she went through." And he added "I'm surprised you're awake...You went through a lot too." he said looking her with his azure eyes.  
  
"I can't sleep...I keep thinking about..." Her sentence trailed off.  
  
"M' lady...Am I right in thinking you are looking for someone?" Eric smiled.  
  
"What?" Said Hitomi in surprise. Eric motioned for her to follow him and he led her to a dark room and opened the curtains. There, on the bed in the middle of the room, was Van.  
  
"Van!" Said Hitomi; she suddenly felt something pressed into her hands. She turned and Eric was handing her a cloth and a bowl of water.  
  
"He's sleeping...He needs to get cleaned up though...I have to leave for work, but my wife will be here in case you need something." With that Eric turned head and with a whip of his brown hair, was gone.  
  
Hitomi started cleaning Van's dried blood off of him. Van shivered from her touch and the cool cloth. It wasn't going too badly till they got to some deep wounds and Van flinched from pain and even cried out once. *Oh Van...* thought Hitomi wishing she could ease his pain.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah awoke an Hour after Hitomi and eventually found Van's room as well. "Hitomi, You're up!" Sarah looked at Hitomi seeing her eyes still showing hurt.  
  
"Sarah...What are we going to do?" Said Hitomi motioning to Van with worry apparent, in Her now timid voice.  
  
"Hitomi...I have an Idea..." Said Sarah as a thoughtful look crossed her face.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well...I told you long ago that I can heal...I could try it on Van and He might even be standing by tonight."  
  
"Really?" Said Hitomi, her emerald eyes now shining.  
  
"Well...Who knows...We have a few hours before it's night...But you will have to leave so I can work...How about you go rest?" Said Sarah, with small bags still under her eyes.  
  
"Okay...." *Bye Van...*  
  
Sarah closed the door behind Hitomi and focused her energy. Her hands glowed blue and she pressed them to Van's wounds as they began to close. (I posted this in the first Chapter. If you are being a good reader, you will note that Sarah has mystic healing as well as she is Half draconian...but more on that later.)  
  
Van winced and trembled as he felt the force press into him...Then he began to relax as the burning pain melted away. He fell into (mostly) painless rest.  
  
Sarah smiled and then began to feel pain herself. * The side effect...* She reminded herself and then tended to Van's healing.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi had rested for a good long time and was called to dinner by Eric's wife. "Here you go dear!" Said a beautiful lady with chestnut hair that was tied-up in a bun. Hitomi ate her food hungrily and then realized it was getting dark...she had been resting longer than she thought...  
  
"You've been cooped up in here all day...I insist that you take a walk...it'll do you good and there aren't any dragons around here."  
  
At any other time Hitomi would have refused, but right now a walk seemed lovely after sitting in bed all day. *I'll be back soon and I'll check on Van...* "Alright." Hitomi said and then she grabbed her coat and headed out into the dying day.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Van woke up with an extremely tired Sarah by his side who was nearly asleep after working on curing him all day. "Sarah! Where...am I? And is she really...here?" He said with a wide-eyed expression.  
  
(Sings "And she left me wide eye in disbelief and dis..... Sorry...blushes. ^ ^) "Van, you're awake! Yes Van...Hitomi is here...she went for a walk." Van smiled, got up (With some help from Sarah) then walked out the door to see a long lost friend.  
  
Meanwhile, Hitomi had found a place to watch the stars by a large rock that she had her back to. (Oh.... Rockzilla! I am writing this on far too much sugar...bare with me.)  
  
Van crept up behind her and climbed up the rock silently without being noticed.  
  
As Hitomi looked at the stars she couldn't help but say "The stars here are so much like the ones on the mystic moon...So beautiful..." But as Hitomi said "Beautiful" a voice from behind her said "Beautiful" too, she turned and behind her was the raven-haired boy. "Van...You're standing!"  
  
Van smiled and jumped down from the rock, sitting himself beside her. "Yeah...I'm okay."  
  
Now it was Hitomi's turn to smile, *It's been so long since I have seen Van, and yet, nothing really changed...He's still looks a lot like he did when I left...He's still that Van that I...love. * Hitomi turn bright red at this thought. (Btw, the character's looks haven't changed much...Van is a little taller and so is Hitomi...but they haven't changed that much in looks...I always thought Van looked just fine the way he was...but there is one character that changed...She is coming up all TOO soon!)  
  
Hitomi looked at the stars in the heavens as Van watched the ones in her eyes. (I love poetic stuff.) "How are you...I mean besides...everything that just happened?" Said Hitomi shifting her eyes to Van.  
  
Van stared at the green glowing orbs that were her eyes and couldn't seem to find much to say, so he said simply "I'm fine..." And let his sentence trail off.  
  
Hitomi realized that something important was on his mind. *I can tell there is something bothering him, I wonder what it is. *  
  
"Hitomi?" Van said suddenly, not looking her in the eye.  
  
"Yes Van?" Said Hitomi, curiosity growing.  
  
"I...I...Missed...you..." And he turned to Hitomi. His ruby eyes locked to her emeralds, his intense stare not leaving her. He came closer watching her lips.  
  
*Van...?!* Hitomi could see him coming close to her. *What's he going to do?...He's going to...?!* Hitomi instinctively moved away, but her back was to the rock and she couldn't move. But then thought *Do...I...want to move?...I don't know what to do...* Hitomi just sat there and waited.  
  
*Come on Van! * He told himself, angry about how long it was taking him. *Just a little closer...* Van slowly moved in more.  
  
Hitomi had closed her eyes and was still waiting, when she heard a voice.  
  
"Van-sama!" Came a voice from the forest.  
  
*No! * Van yelled to himself. *You are dreaming...There is no voice! There can't be! Not now.... Just keep going...*  
  
"Van-sama!" Came the voice again.  
  
*Just a little closer...*  
  
"VAN-SAMA!" said the now earth shattering voice and with it, came a flying pink object out of the forest. The Figure clung to Van and knocked him over.  
  
Hitomi stared, shocked at the new figure...*I could swear that thing looks familiar. * She thought to herself, forgetting about Van at that moment.  
  
The new figure looked a good deal like Naria and Eriya (at the last part when you see them with Folken at episode 26...ya know.all happy and young.) and yet...there was something familiar about this person. she had pink hair a yellow dress and a pink pendant. (a guess anybody? I'll give you one guess!)  
  
"Hello merle..." Said Van...a little more than upset.  
  
"Merle!" Said Hitomi astounded at her cat friend's appearance.  
  
"Hitomi! It's true you are back!" Merle hugged Hitomi and then saw the surprised look on her face. "What's the matter Hitomi?" Merle laughed and then added, with a bit of joking hurtness in her voice "Don't you remember me?"  
  
Hitomi looked at her old friend and said, "You've changed a lot..."  
  
Merle laughed again and said "Yes I have and you haven't changed a bit!"  
  
Van was now a little disturbed...He was happy to see merle was okay...But... "Merle...umm.I was kind of hoping to have some time alone...if you understand?"  
  
"Oh...of course! No problem! Come on Hitomi.... Let's not bother Lord Van." And merle grabbed Hitomi and pulled her back to the cabin.  
  
"Wait Merle! That's not what I...Meant...Ugh." He tried to shout after them...But was too late...Merle had gotten Hitomi all the way back to the cottage by then. *Arg...* Van thought mentally kicking himself. *So close...Yet so far...* And with that Van headed back himself.  
  
_____________________________________________________________________  
  
Okay.... Don't kill me please...I know...Blame Merle...(Well...Okay...no...) Anyway, for those how like romance (or I believe here they call it fluff?) You have a little here...and I am in no way finished with these Characters...I have to be realistic though...(Like how merle always comes in at the wrong time...or Van can never get those three words out "I love you."...I mean...even a purple dinosaur can say it...*ahem *...Please Review...the faster you review...the faster I'll go in writing...But please note I do have a lot of work to do so...Please be nice...I am working at it.... And I honestly will work harder if you review...so on your way out please be a responsible reader ^_~!  
  
Sarah: I want more of me!  
  
Me: WELL GIMME A MINUTE I AM STILL WRITING!  
  
Sarah: *Falls backwards and sweatdrops *.... Umm...She has been a little stressed....  
  
Hitomi: Don't worry...I see happiness in your future.... WOW! I can't believe it...I actually don't see blood, death, and destruction!  
  
Van: *Drools over Lady winged Knight* (I can dream, Can't I?) What?  
  
Hitomi: *Slaps Van*  
  
Van: Oww! What was that for?  
  
Hitomi: Grr...Figure it out!  
  
Me...Help me...Somebody.... Well.... While Van ponders that...I'll ponder the next chapter.... Bye!  
  
(Yes...I am crazy...thanx 4 asking...). 


	4. Castle I'm home! Hitomi's new PE Teach

Wow! More reviews!  
  
I got one from Destiny7! Thank you so much! OMG! I actually have an adoring Fan! Wow...That's...Wow.... I don't know what to say...Thank you! (Yup! That merle really was in Character.... She never misses a moment! lol) and yes...the version of Escaflowne I saw was Japanese. (That...to you none Japanese people who are reading this, is why merle in my story Says "Van-sama." It means "Lord Van!".... But Van-sama is cuter...^ ^)  
  
Newbie GK: I am glad you understand my story now...I was thinking about the fact that it might be a little confusing...don't worry about it...I am glad you like the humor ^ ^...I was hoping that some people would like that...Kewl...  
  
Well I was going to wait till my mailbox got full up...but on receiving these reviews...I couldn't help myself...my writers Imagination kicked in and it won't stop! So...On with the story!  
  
Disclaimer: I own it! I finally own it! I now am the proud owner of...This piece of lint! WOO HOO! ...And Bandai gets Escaflowne...  
  
Sarah: this chapter is called: Castle, I'm home!  
  
Recap: "Wait Merle! That's not what I...Meant...Ugh." He tried to shout after them...But was too late...Merle had gotten Hitomi all the way back to the cottage by then. *Arg...* Van thought mentally kicking himself. *So close...Yet so far...* And with that Van headed back himself.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The next day everybody was tired. Hitomi was tired from her long walk around the forest and Sarah was from her healing session. Merle was tired because she was looking for Van all day and Van was because he had all those pains as well as he had a hard time sleeping with all the dreams about what happened (or didn't happen...take your pick.) last night. Even though they were all tired they insisted that they leave the cottage early. Van decided to take the pilots position. He asked Sarah to navigate because she had drove them here and Van wasn't familiar with this area. "Bear a little to your left and keep going till you reach that hill." Came Sarah's slightly groggy voice. The cold morning winds kept them aware, despite their displeasure. (Warning! Here comes the POVs)  
  
Van's POV *It's too early for this! Well, at least I'll get home soon. * *You're just trying to keep your mind off her and what nearly happened. * Came a voice from the depths of his mind, and though it may have been right, Van wasn't in a listening mood.  
  
Hitomi's POV *It's early! The birds are singing, What a beautiful day for a fly...* and at the word fly Hitomi blushed thinking of Van's wings *Can't keep your mind off him can you? * Came the voice of her mind  
  
(Basically they are trying not to think off what happened 'cause it they are too shy to bring it up...In case you can't figure it out.)  
  
Sarah's POV *I think I missed something...Van and Hitomi are awfully quiet...and they won't look at each other...wait...Hitomi just looked at Van...and she's blushing! Oh...Hehehe...so...I wonder what I missed? *  
  
Merle's POV *Van-sama looks tired...Hitomi's back! I don't believe it! How did she get back? Hmm...I wonder what they were doing last night...probably nothing important. Van-sama! *  
  
After a little more navigating by Sarah they were back at Fanelia.  
  
Van set Escaflowne down in front of the castle and immediately they were surrounded by a mob of nobles and servants and heard a volley of "Lord Van! Bless the gods you are well! Or "Lord Van! Were where you?" There were constant cries from the servants asking about if he wanted to change into more suitable clothes or if he was hungry. Eventually they shoved him inside away from the others.  
  
Hitomi stared after Van who had disappeared into the building with the mob.  
  
"Don't worry 'tomi'." Said Merle nonchalantly. "Van-sama will eventually not be busy...He is a king though." Added Merle sadly.  
  
"Well...Umm...girls...I think that it's our turn." Sarah spoke up and they turned to see where she was looking and there they were...a mob of maids...waiting for them! (Ah! attack of the killer maids!) They were surrounded by a large crowd that started to pull them away.  
  
Before they were separated Sarah told Hitomi that she wanted to see her later when they got the chance. "There is something I need to discuss with you." She managed to get out before they shoved her inside.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi wasn't used to people dragging her this way and that way, but they did get her hair brushed out to perfection and get her squeaky-clean in a tub. (Rub dub dub! Umm... yeah...I'll just shut up...)  
  
Then they dressed her in a comfortable white blouse with dark blue pants, they said "Lady Sarah" told them that she wanted "Lady Hitomi" dressed this way instead of in a dress. Hitomi asked why but they said they just do as they're told and don't ask questions. *I wonder why Sarah cares what I'm dressed in* Thought Hitomi. The maids eventually told her, that Sarah asked her to meet her at the training grounds. Hitomi left with a run, being grateful that they DID dress her in pants. She made record time and there was Sarah, sword in hand. Sarah grinned.  
  
"Hitomi! There you are! Finally got away huh?"  
  
Hitomi returned the smile. "Barely..." She said laughing.  
  
"Here!" Sarah shouted throwing her a small sword still in its sheath.  
  
"Ah! What was that for? Why did you call me here?"  
  
Sarah walked over to Hitomi and gave her a sly look "That's the reason. I am going to teach you how to use a sword."  
  
Hitomi stopped dead "What?" Hitomi yelped "Why do I need to learn how to use a sword?"  
  
"Because..." Sarah countered "You should be careful...if you ever need one...then you should learn how to use it." Sarah looked kind of sad. Hitomi wondered what could be troubling her.  
  
"Okay." Hitomi finally said, and Sarah's smile returned.  
  
They started going over the basics, first Sarah taught Hitomi How to hold a sword, what they names of the types of swords were. She showed her a broad sword "You won't be using this one...It's a bit heavy for a beginner." and a long sword "This is still to heavy." a short sword "You will be training a good deal with this one." and a dagger. "This one you will train the most with." Next came the moves. Charging "You don't charge aggressively enough!" (Hahaha...I know...I couldn't help myself...) Moving to confuse you opponent. "Okay...Good...being agile is good when you are fighting." Basic slashes. "Right! Left! Middle! Head! AHH! I didn't mean actually try to cut mine off!"  
  
Hitomi muttered an apology, and sheepishly grinned.  
  
"It's okay...Well that's all for today...what are you going to do now?" Sarah asked grabbing a towel,  
  
Hitomi grabbed one herself and looked thoughtfully "Well...I wanted to take a look around Fanelia. Is that a good idea?"  
  
Sarah nodded "Sure. It's fine to go out now...since the repairs are done and the dragons moved out."  
  
Hitomi gratefully left and got her running clothes on and then took a sprint.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
*It's nice to take a run and just clear you head* she thought. She stopped for lack of breath and realized she was at the garden near the castle. * I think I'll take a look inside. * And she went inside. She looked around and there was the one person she didn't expect  
  
*Van! * Indeed... Van was enjoying some peace and sitting with his eyes closed listening to the sounds of his garden.  
  
"Hitomi!" His eyes shot open.  
  
*Oops! I must of interrupted him...I should go...He must want some time alone.* Hitomi thought and then turned to leave.  
  
"Hitomi? Where are you going?" Van eyes looked disappointed at her sudden turn to leave.  
  
"Well...I thought I was interrupting you...So I wanted to give you some time to yourself." Hitomi said noticing his face.  
  
Van laughed. "No...Not at all...actually I wouldn't mind if you wanted to stay," he said kind of shyly.  
  
"Really? Okay...I love to." Hitomi said eyes getting wider.  
  
Van smiled. * She's happy...she's pretty when she's happy...her eyes sparkle like great big emeralds. * Van unknowingly was not only staring, but blushing too!  
  
Hitomi turned a small shade of pink and broke the silence. "What is this flower called? It's beautiful..." Said Hitomi, pointing to a flower that looked like it was painted with flames.  
  
"That's a pyralilis."(Pie-ra-lil-us) Said Van in a matter-of-fact voice.  
  
"Well...how about..." But Hitomi never got the change to ask because a wolf- man called Van over.  
  
"Lord Van! Allen Sheazar requests your presence in Austuria!" Came the wolf man's call.  
  
"Thank you Josham. I'm on my way." Van turned to ask Hitomi "Would you like to come?" Hitomi smiled again  
  
"Of course! If you're going, then of course I'm coming." And then they both blushed.  
  
"I guess I'll get Sarah." "No need!" a voice interrupted. They both turned to see.  
  
" Sarah!" they both said in unison. She was leaning against a tree smiling. "So.where to?" She asked the couple curiously.  
  
"Allen summoned us." Van said plainly.  
  
"Then Austuria it is!" and Sarah took a minute getting her Guymelef. Van got on Escaflowne and with Hitomi, they sped off.  
  
*I wonder how Allen is after all these years.* Hitomi thought. Hitomi thoughts were interrupted when both Sarah and Van gasped. Hitomi looked down at the city.It was smoking and in ruins!  
  
*Oh Allen! * All three of them thought at once.  
  
_________________________________________________________ Sarah: Okay! T.L.W.K. that was great! Umm.? Were did she go?  
  
Van: I dunno.Hitomi?  
  
Hitomi: I can't find her!  
  
Millerna: I know!  
  
Van: sorry! You're not in the story yet! Bye! *Shoves Millerna back into the future pages. *  
  
Other side of the lady winged knight: Hey! Anybody wanna blow up the world while she's gone?  
  
The lady winged Knight: I heard THAT!  
  
Good side of lady winged knight: I did TOO!  
  
Me: Okay.let me get it all strait.I am the real Lady winged knight and I am back.  
  
Sarah: Where were you?!  
  
Me: I was writing the next chapter in my head.  
  
Sarah: in your head.?  
  
Me: Yeah..  
  
Please review on your way out.  
  
Sarah: who r u talking to.  
  
Me: My readers.  
  
Sarah: You mean my readers!  
  
Hitomi &Van: NO! SHE MEANS OUR READERS!  
  
Me:.. (Sweatdrops)..Umm.please review.Bye! 


	5. reuknighted

Okay! I'll start up again! And Thanx guys! Your reviews keep me writing! I apparently have some loyal readers! Thanx sqeekers! You are awesome! I.Wow! You think it's a privilege to read it? Gee.*blush* Thanx a lot. I'll write more very soon. And as I said at the bottom, I'm sorry 4 the short chapter.  
  
Thanx Adoring Fan Destiny7! You want More Merle? Well.. Unfortunately they left her behind in Fanelia.. But we all know Merle don't we? She gets there.Somehow.if Van's there.You can't keep Merle away! (Sorry.But the apple thing only works on doctors.) By the way I am sorry that the last chapter was filled with just formalities and this one will be too. ^ ^U sorry.  
  
By the way I am not going to bash Allen a lot if any. I know that it's not very much fun for you Allen bashers, but I honestly don't hate Allen. I do admit it's fun to bash Allen, but it's about as much fun as bashing any character. I do have to say that what Allen has done (Like not cutting his hair.lol.. mainly JK) has made me angry (4 real this time, like making out with Millerna, proposing to Hitomi, Kissing Hitomi! (That really T.O' ed me.) Or having a rep. As a play-boy.) Now I may Allen bash in a fiction in the future.But not this one.The reason why I don't hate Allen is I can see things from all points of view. Except, that is, people who hate Van. (I do actually.Understand this, to a Degree.But only a little.I didn't like how Van first acted.But I don't like people who hate him.. End of story.and I don't mean this one.)  
  
Btw my computer won't show three periods to show a pause instead of a new sentence right now.  
  
Disclaimer: I own it! I really own Escaflowne this time! Bandai just called me and said I'd won it! WOO HOO! (See next disclaimer for humor in this one.)  
  
Sarah: This chapter is called: Reu-knighted!  
  
Recap: *I wonder how Allen is after all these years.* Hitomi thought. Hitomi's thoughts were interrupted when both Sarah and Van gasped. Hitomi looked down at the city.It was smoking and in ruins!  
  
*Oh Allen! * All three of them thought at once.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --  
  
They found a clearing in the mess and set down. They turned to see a figure with blue and white clothes and long blond hair. (Once again I know you HAVE to know who this is.Either that, or NEVER stake you life on a guessing game!)  
  
"Allen!" Hitomi cried, happy to see her old friend.  
  
"Hitomi." Said Allen. (Sarcastically: Killer line Allen. Nobody could have predicted you would say that!) Allen looked up at them with red eyes and a tear stained face.  
  
"Allen! What's wrong?" Said Sarah disturbed at his appearance.  
  
"." Allen glared at Sarah. "TAKE A LOOK AROUND YOU!" He shouted, then mumbled an apology for his outburst.  
  
"Yes.I can see that Allen.But there IS something else bothering you.I know this city is a pile of rubble.But is there more than that?" Sarah said straitening her ruffled hair from it's on end position.  
  
Allen stared into the pale sun that seem to wish to end it's light. "Celena.was.kidnapped." He muttered in a zombie-like voice.  
  
Everyone looked like they had all got a punch in the stomach for Allen. Sarah cursed under her breath. "I wish I had been there Allen.If they have Celena.then their next step could be.I wanted to prevent that! " Sarah could only look at Allen apologetically, Sarah knew how it felt to lose someone you love.And this was the second time that fate took Allen's sister away.  
  
"I'm sorry Allen." Van said and Allen asked for them to not speak of it.  
  
Allen said to himself at the same time *I'll get her back Zaibach! * They were heading back to the castle of Austuria when a familiar voice rang out  
  
"Hitomi!" cried the ever-cheery voice.  
  
"Millerna!" the girls ran up to each other and embraced as sisters. (I really began to like Millerna in the later episodes.) "Hitomi, how are you?" Asked Millerna with curiosity. "I'm fine, What about you? This place looks pretty bad.Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm alright. I have been helping with the injured. We could use some more help, if you, Sarah and Van don't mind." Sarah smiled and Van nodded, but only Hitomi spoke  
  
"No problem. We'll help anyway we can." Hitomi replied cheerfully.  
  
They all went to separate jobs. Millerna went back to the medic tents. Hitomi went to Help with bringing meals and watching the children. Van started on helping the men rebuild the houses while Allen helped the merchants set their shops back up. Sarah went to the barracks to see if she could help rebuild, after helping with that she learned that the teacher of the new students was injured and she offered to teach that day.  
  
Allen managed to meet Dryden in the bazaar and they spoke on friendly terms. Hitomi ended up delivering food to Gaddes and had a chat with him and the crew. Sarah saw the little brother of an old friend and learned that he was sent there for training and Sarah would get to see his sister if she stuck around.  
  
"Yeah. Mariah is going to be here soon. It's good to see you Sarah." Tyra said (Which is the name of the boy.)  
  
They all were pretty much beat and Allen, Sarah, Hitomi and Van all had to return to their rooms.  
  
Later they were called to supper and had a wonderful feast. Everyone attended dinner, including Mr. mole whom no one saw sneak in.  
  
Gaddes was talking with Allen about repairs. Sarah attempted some small talk with Van about sword techniques, which went over pretty well. Hitomi had a chance to chat with Millerna and everybody had a pretty good time. They all went back to their rooms for well-needed sleep. There were two people who didn't sleep that great unfortunately. Sarah and Hitomi both had a strange feeling that something was about to happen soon,  
  
But Sarah was the only one who was actually worried. *I only have this feeling before a battle is going to happen.why now? * And with that thought plaguing her mind, she went into the realm of deep, dark sleep.  
  
The next morning the group started on a seemingly normal breakfast. They got out the plates and set themselves at the table. Just before everyone had finished.the group's happiness was interrupted.  
  
"Sir Allen! Lord Van! There is someone at the gate begging to be let into the castle!" Called a soldier. Everyone raced to see who it was. (And they're off! Allen takes the lead! Uh oh! Here comes Van! Hitomi is clearing up the right side and.Allen is winner! I am being serious about Allen getting there first though.)  
  
Allen looked at the figure and recognized her instantly. "Celena!" He spoke with shock. Allen gathered his weary sister in his arms and comforted her. "Shh.it's okay." He reassured her. "Allen! They're coming.He's coming!" Celena said wide-eyed.  
  
"Who's coming?" Van demanded.  
  
"D-d-d-d-dilandau."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------  
  
Okay! I owe everybody and apology. I just had to leave it there. But I am working on Chapter 6 as you read. If you want more fluff for Van and Hitomi it IS coming.but we are talking about a young couple, who haven't seen each other in three years and they can't make up decent small talk to save their lives. So please don't kill me yet about the fluff or the short chapter.  
  
Merle: jumps up and down: What about me? What about ME? WHAT ABOUT ME?!  
  
Me: .*sweatdrops* I am getting to that.Merle is coming back.But I have to get through something first.  
  
Dilly (Dilandue, Dilandua.): FIRE!  
  
Me: Yup! Dilly's appearance is coming too.  
  
Folken: What about me?  
  
Me: You are dead.  
  
Folken: Aww.man!  
  
Dark side of Lady winged knight: I hear somebody likes these conversations.*sneaks over to torch the castle. Thinks *the real L.W.K has her eyes closed! Now is my chance! *  
  
Normal L.W.K: *with eyes closed and threatening tone * Don't. EVEN. Think. About it!  
  
Dark L.W.K: Aww.man! You're no fun.  
  
Please review before darky over there torches the set. ^ ^ And I am sorry 4 the short Chappy. *Goes back to writing. * P.S. I promise this is the shortest chapter that will exist.It's just.if I continue.than it will be the biggest chapter in history.and I really can't write all that in one sitting. BTW Happy new years! I have been up all night so.don't kill me cause I am way tired. 


	6. Chappy of shortness

Okay I'm getting off my lazy bum to finish writing what I started. I was pretty bad.. I left it at a short chapter and a cliffhanger. So I'll try to finish this in the same night. Umm.I dunno what to post here.. I know! I'll sing for all of you! .. @.@...Hey.. Okay.. I know when my talent isn't wanted.. (Actually I do sing pretty well.. I have sung in front of audiences and I have been asked to sing requests.... But you guys want me to WRITE .not sing.. Okay.. I get your drift.) However.. I am review powered. If you want to read, you've got to write. Now let's get on with it.  
  
Reviews: Destiny7 and Xien: Thanx...hehehehe...AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Yes...kill...kill...0.o...Yeah.... I don't like him either...I did say that dilly lovers shouldn't read this...MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...Sorry...There I go again...Yuppie! Merle is coming.... She is going to come around...After a battle.... Then Merle's gonna hop a ride to see Van.... Probably...^ ^.. (*Whispers to self *...You're going down dilly...hehehehehe.) *Whistles...* "What...? Oh no..... I didn't say nothing...Hehehe...." I always look forward to your reviews.... Thanx!  
  
Disclaimer: Darn! That call in the last disclaimer was a prank call! Darn pranksters.. *Mutters angrily about kids these days *  
  
Sarah: this Chapter is called: The fall of an angel, The rise of an Esca!  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Recap: Allen looked at the figure and recognized her instantly. "Celena!" He spoke with shock. Allen gathered his weary sister in his arms and comforted her. "Shh.it's okay." He reassured her. "Allen! They're coming.He's coming!" Celena said wide-eyed.  
  
"Who's coming?" Van demanded.  
  
"D-d-d-d-dilandau."  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Allen went as wide-eyed as his sister did at that moment.  
  
Van was in shock. *No! It can't be Dilandue! (WARNING: Dilly lovers should NOT read Van's next thought! I warned you.I am not a Dilly fan.) Not him.Not that bloodthirsty, hellish monster! * (Dilly lovers may continue if they like.But I wouldn't advise that!) "We have to prepare for battle." Came Van's voice, though even he could tell it sounded hollow.  
  
"You're right Van. Let's get moving. I wish we didn't have to do this though.I'm not scared.but I don't want to face war again." Said Sarah with a now grave and fierce expression on her face. *No one should be forced to face the trauma of war, Especially those who lose the most in it.The innocent. *  
  
"Where should I be?" came a voice. Everyone turned to see who had spoken.  
  
"Hitomi." Said Van at a loss for conscious thoughts.  
  
"You should stay out of the way.I think I know of a spot that will be safe.Where you can watch what happens." Said Sarah eyes brightening. "Ya know though.I don't think + you + need the protection.. With Van around that is." Sarah looked at the ever reddening faces of the two with a mischievous grin.  
  
"Sar-ah!" Said Hitomi while changing ten shades of red.  
  
Everybody in the room had a good laugh and then stopped poking fun at the couple.Or not.Sarah unfortunately couldn't help but mention how nice they looked together.with matching red faces! After a torrent of giggles from the girls and a few very loud chuckles from the boys, they stopped all together and Sarah promised not to tease anymore.for that day anyway.(hehehehehe.. Gotcha!)  
  
Sarah began the preparation with her Guymelef. She and Van helped each other in buffing, repairing, and sword sharpening. "Ya know Van?" Said Sarah out of the blue.  
  
"What?" Van said with curiosity.  
  
"I think.. It's finally time.. To take Escaflowne out of retirement." Said Sarah smiling.  
  
Van turned and smiled back.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
I.I need you readers help.I mean it! I need your help..I posted a little chappy.But.I have to get somebody's opinion b4 I go crazy! I need u guys to take a poll..It's 4 the story.Some of the questions r there so you won't figure out what's bothering me and ruin the story.. Please take it and I swear I will post the instant I hear from u guys..I know I swore that the last Chapter would b the shortest.well I promise (and In my family YOU CAN'T BREAK A PROMISE!) that this REALLY will b.But I need help! Please take the poll! Here!  
  
Merle w/ catboy or servant boy?  
  
Hitomi w/ Wings or no wings?  
  
Millerna w/ Allen or Dryden?  
  
Sarah: Business or boyfriend?  
  
Dilly-boy : Change his ways? Or change his breathing?! (to.oh.maybe.NONE!)  
  
Please reply..I need u guys to do this.I have been arguing about this 4 so long that I can't even come close to make myself write more..If u guys do this 4 me I promise.my fingers will be flying across the keyboard!  
  
Sarah: Yeah! Not even I, the almighty Sarah, can help her now.  
  
Me: *sweat drops * if you are almighty.WHY CAN'T YOU HELP ME?!  
  
Sarah: @.@...  
  
Please review and poll! I will wait two days 4 the results..if I get a lot the first day.then I will chose not to wait any longer. Thanx and please restrain from killing me.sorry.. 


	7. In The Scarlet sky, an angel flies again

Okay! As I promised...The next chapter and I'll make this as long as possible...so I can make up for the short ones! This is gonna be like a two in one!  
  
Kudo's to those who reviewed to help me! (Only one person was nice enough to take the poll! But PLEASE POLL! I still want your opinion since I still need it! I just decided I would come out of my writer's block cause somebody was nice enough to take the time to review! Which btw you people who have reviewed, you have been awesome! Thanx!)  
  
Animecrazed: Thanx allot.... That was actually the answers I was hoping 4! AWSOME! Glad u liked the fiction! Thank you! With your help I'll be able to finish this. You have taste like I do and hope you enjoy reading as much, or even more than I did writing! ^ ^  
  
Disclaimer: I think EVERYBODY knows I don't own Escaflowne by now.  
  
Sarah: This chapter is called The Scarlet Sky. (The return of Dilly!)  
  
Recap:  
  
Sarah began the preparation with her Guymelef. She and Van helped each other in buffing, repairing, and sword sharpening. "Ya know Van?" Said Sarah out of the blue.  
  
"What?" Van said with curiosity.  
  
"I think.. It's finally time.. To take Escaflowne out of retirement." Said Sarah smiling.  
  
Van turned and smiled back.  
  
And together they finished repairing the giant machine.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi's POV  
  
Hitomi got into position at a hidden base around where they assumed the battle would take place. *I have a very bad feeling about this.. * "Ouch!" She yelped. Something on Hitomi's back was hurting her. She assumed that she had backed into a thorn or something.. But she turned and.. there was nothing there. *Weird. * she thought to herself. The truth was, she didn't know how weird.  
  
Sarah's POV  
  
After some more repairs and leaving Van to his thoughts, Sarah hopped in her Guymelef smiling. She didn't like the prospect of war.But she smiled at being on the field with her friends again. And yet. *I can still feel it.. Something is wrong.. What ominous thing is to happen? Why do I feel this way? * Sarah sighed "Perhaps war is getting to me.. After all these years.. I'm not used to being of that kind of field." She mused. "Well I could use the practice." She said confidently to herself.  
  
(Sorry I know there are a lot of them) Van's POV  
  
*I hope Hitomi really is safe. I didn't want her to face war again.she shouldn't have to. * Van got into his Guymelef, which was beside Allen's and frowned. *Dilandue....you burned my home...Killed my people...Pained my friends...You will pay! * At the last part Van's eyes narrowed and gleamed fiery red, his fists clinched.  
  
Allen's POV  
  
Yes my hair is shiny! Big yellow shiny! (Gotcha! Allen isn't saying that or thinking it! That's narrated! Hehehe.Okay I'll be serious now.) *I haven't seen Hitomi since I saw her at the castle...After she refused my proposal...Hmm...Those two...Van hasn't ever told her has he? * (Ya know...I think I am going to have people get nosey in this one.and Play cupid with Hitomi and Van..Hehehe..I love that.) "Well..it's off to battle, eh Van?" Van only nodded. *He needs to say more.Maybe that would help! * Allen thought jokingly. The blonde hopped into his suit and walked into battle.  
  
(Now for us to continue..with nobody in particular's POV! I love that character.too bad we never see him.)  
  
The battlefield was barely set up..when a menacing voice cried out.  
  
"I'M BACK!" "MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Fire spewed everywhere from duel flame- throwers "YES! BURN! MUWAHAAHAHAHAHAH!" Said the voice from a blood red Guymelef. (Now I seriously think that you HAVE to know who this is, or you should not be reading this story.You probably think Escaflowne is some kind of inhaler!)  
  
"Dilandue!" Van's voice rang out. Van and Dilandue became locked together by steel. A blood thirsty look came over Dilandue's eyes.  
  
"I was hoping to see you again..VAN!" Dilandue charged at Van, but Van blocked and slashed Dilly-boy from the right. They continued their deadly dance. It would have been considered beautiful or even staged.if it weren't for the circumstances. With every hit, there was a block and with every attack, there was a counter attack.  
  
"You've gotten better..VAN!" (Said the deranged maniac using Van's name as a exclamation.)  
  
*His grip is like iron! I need to break free of this psycho! * Thought Van. Unfortunately for Van, some new-b slayers came up behind him and hit him with a crima-claw, trapping him in place.  
  
"Van!" Sarah called out. She raced to the trapped Van's aid and pried off the slayers.  
  
"Thanks Sarah." Van called through his shadowed visor.  
  
"No problem!" Sarah called out, but now little dilly got mad cause Sarah stole his dance partner. He asked Sarah to dance with him. Normally Sarah would be bashful at such an offer, but she decided she would just go with it.  
  
Now Van felt left out and was about to interrupt their dance but one of the commanders decided that Van should pair up with him.  
  
"Die ye' scum!" Aww.how sweet! Now Van, remember to thank the nice man.  
  
"Look in the mirror!" *On your way to the underworld! * And Van sliced through the Guymelef. (There you go! Good boy! You remembered your manners!)  
  
Van wanted to get back to his original partner, but the dance floor got so crowded. He couldn't seem to find dilly. He started to pout, wanted to join in the waltz of death.  
  
(Are you getting tired of these dance metaphors? Okay, we'll go back to reality.)  
  
Some more slayers that lead him over to a cliff interrupted Van's search. He fought them and wanted to laugh at their foolishness. Van didn't know that a slayer was on his right in the shadows...waiting to kill Fanelia's king.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
"Van!" Hitomi cried. She could see it! Van getting hit by a metal poll. Blood.death.pain. *Van! * *I have to find you! I have to warn you! * She raced across the battlefield. Running beneath Guymelefs, to Van. He was the only thing on her mind. Not fear of war or getting herself hurt. *Only Van matters right now! *  
  
Van watched in horror as his beloved raced towards him. *What are you doing here?! Are you going crazy? You could get hurt! Hitomi! * he could only think helpless.  
  
"Van! To your right! There is a soldier! He's going to try to hit you!" Hitomi cried, breathless.but audible.  
  
*Hitomi! * Van jumped to the left and missed to shot. The slayer wasn't happy that Van hadn't received his present. So he gave it to Hitomi instead.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi jumped to the side to miss the crima-claw, but it skimmed her arm. With the pain and the force.it threw her off balance. Hitomi fell, but instead of ground to catch her, there was nothing there, only cliff! Hitomi fell.to tired to scream. (But Van wasn't!)  
  
"Hitomi!" Van cried after his love.  
  
Van knew there was only one thing to do. He had to save her!  
  
(I know it's a no Duh thing.sorry 4 stating the obvious.)  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi's POV  
  
There was pain. Her only thought left was pain. Pain in her arm and in her head. Now there was pain in her back. A strange pain, she had never felt before. Her eyes went hazy. Everything was hazy. Only pain was clear. Then she felt something burst from inside her. She saw something white. It faded away. It disappeared as if it had never been there. She had felt it though. She knew this thing, whatever it was, was there. (In a singing voice "I'm going to keep you guessing! I'm going to keep you guessing!)  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Van's POV  
  
*Hitomi! I'm coming! * Van changed Escaflowne to dragon mode and then ripped off his shirt. (Back! Back you Van lovers! Back!) And he dove after Hitomi. *There! * He told himself as he saw Hitomi's small figure falling to the rocks below her, though clearly not there yet. (Or this would be a SHORT story! It is VH after all) *Hurry Van! Come on! Moved it! * He screamed to himself. He had to reach her. He was nearly there, just a little farther and he would be close to grabbing her hand. He was nearly there, so close.  
  
(Switch!)  
  
Hitomi's POV (I'm sorry! I know there are too many POV changes.)  
  
Hitomi seemed to be covered in darkness. There was only Darkness and of course pain. Then, out of nowhere, came a light and a familiar face. *An angel. It's Van! I know it must be Van. * The "angel" grabbed her hand and the darkness around her turned to light. *Thank you Van. Thank you my guardian angel. *  
  
(End of POV's for now.)  
  
Van picked Hitomi up and held her in his arms as they rose up ward. He smiled and gazed into her eyes, they were closed, but they flicked open for a second. Hitomi smiled managed and small faint "Thank you." And rested in his strong arms against his chest. Van felt a little blush creep through his cheeks. He only held Hitomi like this twice before. He was happy to feel her body resting against his again.  
  
Van reached the top where everybody was waiting for him. Apparently the d- slayers had been called off and the battle was put on hold even Dilandue didn't stay. At the sight of everybody, Van's face turned crimson. Sarah was grinning ear to ear. Sadly not everything was fine as everyone thought. Hitomi got out of Van's arms and seemed dizzy. *I can't see strait! * Thought Hitomi, Nearly falling over. A strange pain pulsed through her torn arm. It was a different pain than she had felt. It wasn't just the cut.  
  
"Hitomi? Are you ok?" Asked Millerna, eyes getting wide, clearly worried.  
  
"I'm fine.." but that's all Hitomi got out before she fainted. Van caught her in his arms, before needing to fly off the cliff again. *Hitomi! * Thought Van, worry written clear on his face. Sarah kneed over the girl and checked her over. Sarah looked up with a dark expression.  
  
"Van." She started. "I think that crima-claw had..." Sarah stopped and winced "Poison on it. Hitomi has been poisoned!"  
  
___________________________________________________________  
  
Sarah: A cliffhanger? You are mean!  
  
Yami (Evil) side of L.W.K: AHAHAHAHAH! YES! I am EVIL!  
  
Sarah:...@.@...No I didn't mean you. Mutters (Baka Yami.) (Baka is the Japanese insult, meaning moron, stupid, idiot.. and on and on.)  
  
Yami: I HEARD THAT!  
  
Me: Oh shut up Yami!  
  
Sweet fluff loving side of L.W.K: Don't say shut up.it's not nice.  
  
Hitomi: Sarah's right! You are mean!  
  
Me: *sigh *.Hitomi.you aren't awake! You can't talk!  
  
Hitomi: Oh yeah.  
  
Everybody: *sweat drops like this * -_-U  
  
Me: Please read and review! (I know you probably already read.but..ya know.) R&R!  
  
Hitomi & Van : our readers!  
  
Sarah: My readers!  
  
Yami and good side: OUR READERS!  
  
Me: How about we compromise.all of our readers!  
  
Everybody but Me: ..........NO!  
  
Me: @.@ ..ok... 


	8. Van's pain is Hitomi's poison

Dear readers I am sorry to say I no longer write.I juggle plates! Just Kidding! I didn't mean it! Don't leave! Okay..I want to apologize for leaving you all like that. I have been incredibly busy and I have been reading a lot of VH fictions. I have school and about a million other things (Such as babysitting. I have Chores. I celebrate holidays. Yadda Yadda.) Okay, I know it was cruel of me to leave you hanging w/ Hitomi unconscious and poisoned. I see that nobody wanted to kill me and I am glad no one hates me..yet. So I shall continue my story and btw for those who would like to know, yes merle shall come SOON!  
  
Reviews! : Sqeekers : Yup! That was evil of me..sorry...I am glad you liked it though. I am glad it's getting interesting for you. ^ ^ and now you don't have to wait!  
  
Animecrazed: Yeah.I guess I have been having to much sugar..Darn holidays..you start out as being 150 and you're 1000 by the end! Ahahahahaha..well okay...not that bad! Anyway, when I get to into a story and it's late...I go a little off the top. Sorry...but it does help me to write. (HEHEHEHEHEHE..@.@U) I am JK.  
  
gtkvan: Nice to hear from somebody new! I love all reviews I get! Thanks for being nice enough to give your opinion! I am glad you like it. ^ ^ I'm happy! I am glad you also liked the side notes.. Hehehe.  
  
Destiny7: Thanx. I have to agree with Anaiya and Xien though...DIE! Hehehe..it was nice to hear from you. I like your Idea and it would be cute. I like I might fit that stuff in..But I don't think the last choice I can do. It would seem almost unanimous that it go the other way. Sorry..But that was what I was planning. (Evil cackle.Muahahahaha! JK)  
  
Sarah: this Chapter is called: Van pain is Hitomi poison. (Obvious ain't it?)  
  
Recap: "I'm fine.." but that's all Hitomi got out before she fainted. Van caught her in his arms, before needing to fly off the cliff again. *Hitomi! * Thought Van, worry written clear on his face. Sarah kneed over the girl and checked her over. Sarah looked up with a dark expression.  
  
"Van." She started. "I think that crima-claw had..." Sarah stopped and winced "Poison on it. Hitomi has been poisoned!"  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah kneeled over her fallen friend still examining her. Mean while Van was in shock *Hitomi! What can I do? I have to do something.. *  
  
Sarah looked at Van as if knowing his thought. "Don't worry Van. We need to get Hitomi back to Fanelia. I'll explain when we get there." Van looked at Sarah and saw the expression on her face.  
  
I can tell that Sarah knows what she's doing." Sarah led the way and they all followed to the hanger where the crusade lay. Van followed behind holding Hitomi in his arms.  
  
Sarah instructed that Hitomi be taken to the back room, with Millerna, Van and Sarah there, they attempted to make Hitomi comfortable.  
  
"She'll sleep for a while. I think her fever is a little bit to high..but under the circumstances she is doing very well."  
  
"Sarah?"  
  
"Yes Van?"  
  
"How do you know all of this?"  
  
"Well," Sarah began.  
  
"I have lived in the forest ever since I was a small child. It was natural for the forest knights to know just about everything about the forest..and it's poisons." Sarah finished.  
  
They set down in Fanelia before Van could ask anymore questions. Sarah decided to carry Hitomi this time. She said that Van was pretty tired and didn't need the burden. *Hitomi..please be okay." Thought Van with a worried heart.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
"There." Said Sarah putting Hitomi in a bed in a bright room. "Should I help?" Said Millerna, wanting to put her skill to use. Sarah explained to Millerna the things she would need for an antidote. "I'll see what I can do." Millerna said before leaving Sarah sighed.  
  
"Sarah?"  
  
"Yes Van." Replied Sarah to the boy's voice.  
  
" Is..there anything I could do?" Sarah looked at Van with sad eyes.  
  
"I know how you feel Van." Sarah started. "The best thing right now is to be here for Hitomi. I'll take care of curing her. There is one thing that bothers me." Sarah said the last sentence suddenly.  
  
"What?" Van asked.  
  
"I need to go foraging in the forest for plants..that heal this kind of poison. Some of them can only be found there." Sarah said. "I'm worried about leaving Hitomi here. Use this cloth to wipe her face and try to keep her temperature down while I'm gone, would you?"  
  
Van Nodded.  
  
Sarah left and ran to the forest, She spread her majestic snow colored wings to search from the sky.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Allen had decided to come with them to Fanelia. (And as he gazed into his reflecting he murmured to himself "I'm so pretty!" "Wow! All this hair and I'm a GUY?" Just kidding! I'm sorry to you Allen lovers! I just couldn't resist!) (No! What he was actually saying was this) "I wonder when Van is going to tell Hitomi how he really feels?" "For both their sakes, it had better be soon, or he may never say it."  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Van cooled Hitomi's cheeks with the cloth. *Hitomi..I remember, you did this..for me. *  
  
Flash back  
  
Hitomi started cleaning Van's dried blood off of him. Van shivered from her touch and the cool cloth. It wasn't going too badly till they got to some deep wounds and Van flinched from pain and even cried out once. *Oh Van...* thought Hitomi wishing she could ease his pain.  
  
End of flash back  
  
*I remember you watched over me..you did all that for me..The least I can do is return the favor..this is my fault. *  
  
Flash back  
  
"Van! To your right! There is a soldier! He's going to try to hit you!" Hitomi cried, breathless.but audible.  
  
*Hitomi! * Van jumped to the left and missed to shot. The slayer wasn't happy that Van hadn't received his present. So he gave it to Hitomi instead.  
  
End of flash back  
  
"Van!" Called a voice from the doorway that broke him out of his thoughts.  
  
"Sarah! You're back!" Van said in surprise.  
  
"Yeah..I found the herbs I was looking for..now we just need..Millerna!" Sarah said equally as surprised as Van was, because Millerna had appeared behind her.  
  
"I'm back! Did you wait long?"  
  
"No Millerna. You're on time..did you find everything?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good..let's see how Hitomi's doing."  
  
Sarah moved over to Hitomi and checked her temperature. "It's getting to normal. Good! Hitomi will be better soon. Van!"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Thanks. You can go rest now..and don't worry..Hitomi will be fine." Said Sarah trying to assure him.  
  
Van reluctantly left the room.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
"Van-Sama!" Came a familiar voice.  
  
"Hi Merle.." Van said worry obviously in his eyes.  
  
"Van-sama? What's wrong Van-sama?" (Remember that Van-sama means Lord Van.)  
  
"Hitomi.." He began.  
  
"Oh no! She broke your heart didn't she?"  
  
"No Merle. She's.."  
  
"She went back to the Mystic moon?!" Merle went wide-eyed  
  
"No.."  
  
Merle interrupted again "What is wrong Van-sama?! Tell me!" Merle said demandingly in a worried tone.  
  
"That's what I have been trying to do!" Van said shaking his head. "Merle, Hitomi is sick and I'm worried about her."  
  
"Oh..I'm sorry Van-sama..Hitomi will be okay..she has been through a lot more than this." Said Merle cheerfully.  
  
"You're right..it's just.."  
  
"Come on Van-sama, you could use some rest."  
  
Van nodded and let the cat-girl drag him to his room. "Enjoy your rest Van- sama! I'll come back later."  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah massed the herbs and juices together, adding several medical items. She remembered back to when she had learned how to do this and what the herbs were for.  
  
Flash back  
  
A little tiny Sarah stood by a graceful and kindly old woman. "Grandma? What are you going to teach me today?" "Well Sarah, since your parents are away at war, I'm going to teach you about medical herbs." "You know Sarah, plants are marvelous things. They feed us, shade us, and even cure us. It's important that you learn how to use them." "Yes grandma! I'm going to be the best knight in the world."  
  
End of flash back  
  
Sarah continued mixing the paste, realizing that this was no time to relive her childhood. She came up with a creamy purple and green mixture. She asked Millerna to help her apply the medicine.  
  
But then, Hitomi woke up and in her fevered state, she had something else in mind.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
"Van!" yelled Millerna running around the castle.  
  
Van heard Millerna, got up and went into the hall. "Millerna? What in Gaia is wrong?"  
  
"Thank the gods I found you! It's Hitomi! Come quickly!" Millerna turned and raced back to the room, with Van on her heels.  
  
Van raced through the rooms and already he could hear words coming from Hitomi's room like, "Hitomi! Calm down!" "Hitomi, it's okay!" "Oh gods, you are sure taking your time Millerna! Hurry!" Van ran into the room unprepared for the site. There was Hitomi, wide-eyed in terror, thrashing and kicking Sarah with all her might. Sarah attempted to pin her down, but had little luck and was barely hanging on.  
  
"Van! Thank goodness you're here! Help me!" Sarah called exasperated.  
  
Van put a hand on Hitomi. "Hitomi!"  
  
"Van? Van is that you?" Said Hitomi with eyes still wide and full of fear.  
  
"Yes. I'm here..Shh..don't worry, it's okay." Van comforted her.  
  
"Van! Don't leave me!"  
  
"I won't Hitomi. Lay down."  
  
Hitomi grabbed him and she pulled herself up by him then fell into his arms. Van blushed. Hitomi repeated "Please don't leave me." "I promise it's going to be okay. Just lay..Hitomi?" He realized she had fallen asleep in his arms.  
  
"Thank you Van."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"She woke up when I tried to put the medicine on her and then she started calling your name. Since you weren't here to answer she got scared. In her state she wasn't aware of anything else." Sarah shook her head. "And as for comforting her, I might as well as have been the spirit of death, coming to get her." " If she thrashed too much, the poison would have spread too quickly."  
  
"You should get some rest Van." Millerna said.  
  
"Yeah, Millerna and I will call you if we need your help." Sarah agreed.  
  
Once again Van reluctantly left her side, but promised her mentally that he would be there in a second in she needed him. *Sleep well Hitomi. *  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah came back to bandage Hitomi up again. "Oh Hitomi..you are so lucky to have Van care about you so. I wish you would tell him that you feel the same way, or to have Van tell you." "You know Hitomi, you always reminded me of somebody."  
  
Flash back (yeah I know there are a lot but It'll explain a good deal about Sarah and other stuff.)  
  
Two young girls in a forest, one looks a lot like Sarah. The two girls twirl and pick flowers. They fall back on the grass and laugh. Then the smallest girl disappears and the bigger girl is left holding a flower and crying.  
  
End of Flash back  
  
"Erika." A small tear fell to the ground in silence.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Van listened to hear if Hitomi's room was empty. When no one was around, he slipped out of bed and pulled his shirt on his head. (I'm a poet and I DO know it! I love it!) he crept over to Hitomi's room and slid inside. (Now I know what you are thinking and that's perverted! I am not going to do THAT! Van's doing this cause he promised to watch over Hitomi and he's worried about her! This is PG 13! Not R! So switch off the dirty side of your mind!)  
  
Van watched Hitomi's breathing and sat in a corner closed to her bed. *Hitomi.. * He watch her toss in her sleep and noticed that her hair was slightly longer. He smiled *You're still as beautiful as I remember Hitomi. Maybe even..more so than I remembered. * Van remembered when he first met the girl..no.. woman that he came to love.  
  
Flash back  
  
*Hah! The dragon's dead and I completed the rite to become King! Now to..Huh? It's that weird girl! She's coming over here. I wonder what she wants. * "Are you okay?" said the strange girl. "I'm not so badly hurt as to have a women worried about me!" "Oh? So you want a reward? Well fine! Then come to my castle, but don't get cocky! And another thing, you didn't help me slay the dragon. Whack came the sound of her hand against his cheek. "What is your problem?! I didn't help you for a reward! I just thought you were going to die..and I was scared, really scared. I shouldn't have even saved you! I should have let that stupid dragon eat you!" and the girl began to cry. But just then a pillar of light raised them to Gaia.  
  
End of Flash back  
  
Van winced. He remembered how it felt. The burning on his cheek. *Ouch. * Was his only thought at the time. *I'm sorry I was so mean to you when you came to Gaia Hitomi. You were right..I..wish I could have changed some of the things I did..The things I said. *  
  
After lying there for a while recounting memories Van realized that it was getting very late and he had to go to sleep..but he couldn't..and then he heard something..like an goddess's voice. The thing was singing.  
  
"Win dain a lotica. En vai tu ri, si lo ta. Fin dein, a loluca. En dragu a, sei lain. Vi fa-ru, les stutai, am En riga-lint." It was a mysterious sound, and yet beautiful and familiar. It was in a different language than Van had ever heard. The song itself seemed so soothing and wonderful, that before long..The king himself slept peaceful slumber, watching over his beloved.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Me: Yippee! I did it!  
  
Sarah: A new chapter!  
  
Me: there! I am not that mean..I just like dramatic cliffhangers!  
  
Hitomi: I'm awake now! YAY!  
  
Everybody: Sweatdrops -_-U  
  
Me: No..not yet.  
  
Van: I'm sleeping in Hitomi's room!?  
  
Me: -_-U You don't get it...I want to verify that you are doing that to watch over Hitomi..though having people see you slept in the same room as her might cause some...*Ahem* problems...it not like you think...you're being sweet, not perverted. So think of it as you are her big brother coming to sleep with her.  
  
Everybody: @.@U...  
  
Me: NO! NOT LIKE THAT! Ugh...you are protecting Hitomi and making sure she is okay..plus you are keeping your promise to stay by her!  
  
Yami L.W.K : @.@ .. man you are more evil me..*sneaks over to Van's dressing room.*  
  
Me: go in there and you won't live to regret it.  
  
Yami: Yes ma' am.  
  
Fluffy side of L.W.K: L.W.K isn't doing anything wrong. She is just expressing herself.  
  
Me: ......T_T...Look I...FORGET IT! Hopefully the readers get it!  
  
R&R please! (And stay away from Van YAMI! Baka Yami!)  
  
Yami: I HEARD THAT! WHY DOES EVERYBODY CALL ME BAKA?!?!?!?!  
  
Everybody: BECAUSE YOU ARE!  
  
Yami: @.@U...okay...  
  
Btw... The song if you haven't seen Escaflowne the movie or you didn't recognize it, is called sora. It's really beautiful and if you haven't heard it, you should. 


	9. Rest and realization

You guys are awesome! Thanx 4 more reviews!  
  
Destiny7: you seem to always bring more people! YAY! ^ ^ I am glad you liked the chapter too! Thanx 4 coming Cereya and Rian as well as Xien and Anaiya...so I guess...thanks everybody! I'm sure that Hitomi and Van are happy for the bodyguard offer. Hitomi: YAY! YOU LIKE US! Van: Thank you for not taking me the wrong way. ^ ^ See, I told you they were happy...wait! What about my bodyguard?! Just kidding! ^ ^ Unfurls her own wings and gets to story (Hey I am not called winged knight for nothing! I have wings too! ...or not...+_+ .)Yes! DIE DILLY! ^_~ ...Umm...Yay frying pans! (I think...) VH FOREVER!  
  
Sqeekers: I am glad you like Van's new job as Hitomi's knight in shining armor. ^ ^ Yes, somebody is going to find the needle mark. Hitomi isn't awake and the problem didn't mean anything till now. And I also hope Yami doesn't get the best of me. Fluffy me is more than happy to write this chapter ^ ^. I have been reading a lot of sweet stories and watching my favorite episodes of Escaflowne...I feel like...FLUFF! YAY FLUFF! I also feel hyper. And sadly I am going to need Yami's help with the mean things I have to do to those poor guys. Yami: YAY! Me: Be quite Yami! I want to make this chapter fluffy! Yami: Fine! But you will need me later. Me: yes I will...But I want it to be happy right now. Btw... You have awesome guesses! I hope that nobody figures out what I am doing with Hitomi over there..But you are dangerously close to figuring it out! Stop that! Lol JK  
  
Animecrazed: Yes! I plan for it to ONLY be PG-13! I am not  
  
(Side Note: I want to explain something. I am going to do something about the whole spread your wings, rip your shirt thing for girls. To be logical, I put holes in the back of Sarah's shirt and she always wears a shirt over that one. I wanted to explain this. Thank you. Plus...if the hole thing isn't the case, the wings will rip holes in the shirt, without ripping the shirt, However this will not work for guys. )  
  
Disclaimer: I own it! I own it! *snore * What? Oh man! It was a dream...Bandai, I will have it someday!  
  
Sarah: this chapter is called Rest and realization!  
  
Recap: After lying there for a while recounting memories Van realized that it was getting very late and he had to go to sleep...but he couldn't..and then he heard something...like an goddess's voice. The thing was singing.  
  
"Win dain a lotica.  
  
En vai tu ri, si lo ta.  
  
Fin dein, a loluca.  
  
En dragu a, sei lain.  
  
Vi fa-ru, les stutai, am  
  
En riga-lint."  
  
It was a mysterious sound, and yet beautiful and familiar. It was in a different language than Van had ever heard. The song itself seemed so soothing and wonderful, that before long...The king himself slept peaceful slumber, watching over his beloved.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
The golden sun attempted to peek through the windows to watch the sleeping pair. It's efforts were thwarted (I think...where did I put that dictionary!) Though one girl did get through. Sarah decided to check on Hitomi, and she looked through the door to she if she was up, but was not met by one sleeping teen, but two! Sarah smiled. *Van, that....that's so sweet! Aww...I can bear to wake them now. Oh well...I guess they will wake up eventually. * Sarah chuckled to herself and then began to leave, but she remember that she had to reapply the medicine to Hitomi's arm. She crept in quietly and began her work.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi wasn't asleep, just resting, Sarah came to her side and put medicine on her arm. "Good morning." She whispered to Hitomi. "Looks like you have an angel watching over you." Sarah said and smiled. Hitomi giggled and turned a little pink. "And a very sleepy one at that." Sarah commented. Now Hitomi full out laughed. "All though....some people might find it interesting that he was in your room all night." And Hitomi stopped breathing "Sarah! You don't think..."Hitomi turned crimson, Sarah laughed. "Of course not...I'm just saying that other people might think that. I wouldn't though." Sarah went over to Van and tapped him on the shoulder * He does need to get up now anyway. *  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Van felt someone pulling out of his dream, or rather tapping him out. He opened his eyes to see...  
  
"Sarah!" Van turned bright red. "Umm...I uh.."  
  
"Good morning to you to sleepy head." She said out loud, and then whispered "Don't worry I don't actually think...that....you know."  
  
Van turned an even deeper shade of red at the thought. "Well, you might want to get out of here before..." Sarah was interrupted by three people who barged in. It was Millerna, Merle and Allen. They saw the bed Van made for himself, the fact that he had just woken up and Sarah seemed to have just gotten here. Hitomi and Van blushed in perfect unison and that alone was enough. Allen slyly smiled. Millerna giggled. Merle just stood in shock. Sarah began to get a little angry at the intruders.  
  
"Good morning." She said dryly. "Doesn't ANYBODY knock these days?" At being scolded they all looked at the floor "Shoo! Out! I mean now! This isn't a show!" Sarah shoved them out the door. "Yes mama." Said Millerna giggling out side the door.  
  
Sarah turned to the blushing couple and had to restrain a chuckle, they looked incredibly shocked as well as embarrassed and it showed. "Uh Van?"  
  
"Yes Sarah?" Said Van still blushing furiously.  
  
"I think Hitomi will want to rest now, so let's go."  
  
"Okay..." Van face still matched his shirt and eyes.  
  
*And, * Sarah thought *Let's have a chat with those +Friends + of ours *  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah decided to talk with Allen and tell him (I almost typed her! It was an acident..but..Yami? Are you helping me type or something?! Yami: oh...well..uh...you see...BYE!) What was going on.  
  
"Allen!" Sarah called.  
  
"Sarah? What's going on?"  
  
"That's what I came to tell you. I wouldn't want you to think that, well...It wasn't what it looked like."  
  
"Oh really? Looked pretty self-explanatory to me."  
  
"Allen! No! That's not what happened! Look, Hitomi woke up the other day and she screamed Van's name, Because Van wasn't there, she freaked out and went berserk. Van was there is case she woke up and needed somebody by her side."  
  
"Makes sense...Hmm...you know though, Those two..." Allen stopped.  
  
"Those two? Oh...Yes Allen...I know."  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
"Hitomi! May I come in?"  
  
"Millerna! Umm...okay."  
  
Millerna walked in with a bowl in her hands and sat down next to Hitomi. "I'm here to put some more medicine on your arm. You will feel pretty dizzy, and you can't walk on your own to be safe...Say Hitomi?"  
  
"Yes Millerna?"  
  
"How are you and Van?" Millerna winked.  
  
Hitomi blushed furiously. "Millerna! It's not what you think!"  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"No! Van and I didn't do ANYTHING!"  
  
" Really? Okay Hitomi, I believe you."  
  
"Good..."  
  
*But the reason I do believe you...isn't a good reason... *  
  
(Okay perhaps I can make this a little clearer. Everybody is disappointed that Hitomi and Van haven't told each other how they feel. Millerna mainly believes Hitomi because they aren't any closer to being together. Allen is disturbed that they are too shy to talk about how they feel. It's not that they wanted them to do something like that...I would never go that far.)  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Van's talk with merle didn't go so well, but he did get her to understand, and secretly Merle (Even though she was glad at the same time,) was a little upset that nothing at ALL happened. *I mean, Van-sama...you haven't even told Hitomi that you care. You are going to regret it if you don't. *  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Later they had breakfast with one person missing. Van offered to bring Hitomi her food so he left the room silently and walked over to Hitomi's room. He knocked on the dark wooden door. "Oh! Come in." "Hello Van...Oh...thank you."  
  
Van set the food down by the bed and Hitomi had expected him to leave, but he stayed. Hitomi tried to Get up...but felt to dizzy and weak to move herself, so Van helped her. Hitomi blushed as he helped her sit up. Van stayed and had brought a little food himself, though not very hungry, he simply wanted to keep her company.  
  
Van seemed more interested in watching her eat than in his own food, so he ending up staring at her. It was only after Hitomi's cheeks were dusted pink that Van realized what he was doing. Hitomi had finished her food by now, and now was just looking at the room around her. It had a nice wood floor and a small bed on the floor, which she was sleeping on. Van interrupted her thoughts. (By the way I am not going to say a lot of Hitomi said, or Van said, because there are only two people here and I make it obvious who's talking.)  
  
"So what did they say?" (Referring to Sarah and Millerna.)  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You know, about how you're doing?"  
  
"Oh...well Millerna said I would be dizzy and I will walk soon, I'm going to need help though."  
  
Hitomi gazed at the one thing in the room she really liked, the window. She gazed at the trees. The gentle breeze danced through the trees with pleasure and joy, as if they knew no worry. She watched the branches join in the dance and sway to an unheard rhythm and beat. Then she heard the chorus of birds as they joined in with song and merry laughter that few have stopped to hear. Hitomi longed to leave this room and see the beauty of Fanelia. Van's voice once again broke her thoughts. (and seemingly read them.)  
  
"Do you....want to....go outside?" Van said, slightly embarrassed.  
  
"Well yes....but....?"  
  
With out warning, Van pick Hitomi up and carried her out the door.  
  
(Side Note, to my horror, the scene that I made, I just noticed, is sadly extremely similar to another one in one of my favored fictions. I would like to say, if that person reads this, I do NOT wish to copy you, I simply love garden scenes and I try never to copy anyone's Idea...VH pairing is something that is done by several people....so I guess somebody was bound to try something similar to what another person did and so on. I am trying to make this different...But it has to flow with my Ideas or I'll get confused.)  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi's POV  
  
*Van's carrying me. This is embarrassing, everybody is staring at us, And yet....It's kind of....nice. I can feel Van's grip, I can tell he is certainly not going to drop me. He's....my angel. I can smell Van's smell....The smell of the fields.  
  
Flash back  
  
*The smell of the fields. Van's smell. I love him. I love you Van. *  
  
End flash back  
  
*Sigh Oh Van. *  
  
(End of Hitomi's POV)  
  
They reach the out side of the castle, with Van still holding Hitomi and after Van had picked her up, the surprise caused her to sub-consciously cling to him. Van blushed, but kept his eyes on where he was going, the last thing he wanted to do was trip. They came to the garden and Van walked to a large oak on a hill with hedges all around it. Van set Hitomi down. (Slightly disappointing her.)  
  
"Hitomi. I'll be busy today for sometime. I'm sorry. I'll be back soon though." Van said sadly.  
  
*Van....thank you. *  
  
(Fluffish?) ~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah was relaxing by a swordsman's practice ring. Allen offered to challenge her since she was there. "Alright Allen. I'll fight you." Allen and Sarah faced each other and circled around the ring. They began their fight. Unfortunately Sarah wasn't paying attention and Allen beat her first round.  
  
"Sarah! I'm surprised at you. You weren't even trying. Normally you have me on the defensive most of the match." Allen scolded her.  
  
"Gomenasai..." Sarah said barely even looking at him. (That is Japanese for I'm sorry.)  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I don't know Allen, that's what bothers me."  
  
"Please explain."  
  
"There is something bothering me...But not even I know what it is. Something doesn't feel right. Something is going to happen. I don't know what it is."  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Van eventually finished with his sword practice and went back to Hitomi carrying her back inside. Blushing included.  
  
After resting for a few hours, Hitomi felt well enough to stand. She knew she wasn't supposed to...but she was tired of laying in bed all day! She got up and steadied herself by the walls. She had just eaten dinner and it was a fair night outside. Hitomi heard the sound of a voice, it was singing. She went to listen, but it stopped and she heard another sound that made her forgot the song. It was the sound of a blade slashing though air. *Van? * Hitomi found some stairs that lead to the grand roof and looked up hoping to see the teen clad in red, but instead she laid her emerald eyes on... "Sarah?"  
  
"Hitomi! What are you doing up here?" Sarah said, sounding a little angry. After all, Hitomi wasn't supposed to be here, she had just gotten hurt and she should even be walking!  
  
"Oh...well...I was looking for Van and I though I heard him practicing." She said honestly.  
  
"Oh...well, sorry to disappoint you. Van went to bed sometime ago." "I just come up here to practice and....sing."  
  
"That voice! It was you? Than it was you that night too?"  
  
"You were awake?"  
  
"Well...I heard it while dreaming and it sounded like it was really someone singing." Hitomi said.  
  
"Hehehe..." Sarah blushed, few people had heard her sing.  
  
"Why were you singing? Why were you so close to my room?"  
  
"Well," Sarah turned very red. "To be honest I was there."  
  
"You were watching us?!"  
  
"I was doing the same thing that Van was. I was making sure you were okay. I nearly drew my sword on Van because of how surprised I was, but I saw it was just Van pretty quickly."  
  
"But why where you singing?" Said Hitomi quietly.  
  
"I....well....Van hasn't been getting much sleep and it was getting late. If he had stayed up any later, he would have been sleep waking. I used to fall asleep listening to that song...It makes you feel peaceful. So I sang it to make him fall asleep."  
  
"Oh...Well it's pretty. You're a good singer." Hitomi whispered.  
  
Sarah blushed even redder. Nobody had even complimented her on her singing before, except... *Erika. * a tear fell from her face once more.  
  
"Sarah? Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine Hitomi. I just...Something's on my mind....that's all."  
  
"Okay..."  
  
Sarah truly did have something on her mind. She could feel something strange was going to happen, and she felt a distant clouded sorrow.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
"Hitomi?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"How's your back? You said it was bothering you."  
  
"Yeah. My back has been bothering me even more lately....It burns, and it's spread all over."  
  
"Ouch....Are you okay?" Sarah said with sympathy and slight worry in her voice.  
  
"I'm fine. It doesn't hurt right now."  
  
"How did you get that prick mark anyway?"  
  
"I don't know. I remember falling on something....I think."  
  
"Hmm..." Sarah thought to herself and proceeded to swing her sword.  
  
"Say...Is this place really safe? I mean Zaibach hit this castle really hard." Hitomi asked.  
  
"Well, this roof is kind of in a bad state, but it's okay if you don't....Hitomi!" Sarah's eyes widened.  
  
Hitomi had stepped to the one area that wasn't safe and it was falling apart!  
  
"HITOMI! GET AWAY FROM THERE!"  
  
But Sarah was too late. Hitomi was falling and couldn't get away. So Sarah prepared to spread her wings and catch her. She tore off her outer shirt (See side note WAY above.) and prepared to dive. Hitomi's grip on the wall slipped and she fell. Sarah raced over, but stopped, frozen by the sight in front of her. White wings.....Hitomi's white wings.  
  
_____________________________________________________  
  
Me: I love cliffhangers! Do DA! Do DA!  
  
Sarah: yes you do.  
  
Hitomi: I AM AWAKE NOW, RIGHT?  
  
Everybody except Hitomi: falls over and sweat drops.  
  
All three versions of me: YES, YOU ARE AWAKE!  
  
Hitomi: (Does happy dance) Yay!  
  
Van: I like reviews.  
  
Me: I do to Van!  
  
Everybody: Yeah! So send some would ya?  
  
Yami: VAN SAMA!  
  
Merle: HEY! THAT'S MY LINE!  
  
Yami and merle go into "cat" fight.  
  
Fluffy and Me: Settle down children.  
  
Sarah: R&R please! 


	10. Getting closer or We three angels!

Once again, kudos to those who review! Thanks! You people rock.  
  
Animecrazed: I am glad you like the suspense. Uh...if you don't like R rated stuff...Umm then don't read: My painful memory by thunder mistress. It starts out cool...but gets bad fast. I don't personally like that kind of stuff. I think it's sweet like it is...you don't need to make it bad.  
  
Lyra Eyota: Glad you liked it! I didn't like the ending to Escaflowne either. It just...I love VH and I was so mad that they would do that to them. Hitomi with wings. Hehehe...I guess it's out of the bag. That was what I was stressing about a lot. I also had a lot of other things bothering me...But I didn't know how to do it. Of course my bizarre imagination saw to that.  
  
Btw I love opinions from anybody! When I get a review, My face lights up! I mean it! I love it, you guys have been so nice to me...I had no idea that things would go this well. Well, lets get going! (Sqeekers! I have news for you! Here's where you get your answer!)  
  
Disclaimer: Look! I don't own the show! This wouldn't be a fan fiction if I did! If I owned Escaflowne, it would end happy!  
  
Sarah: This chapter is called "We three angels!"  
  
(R&R when you are through please!)  
  
Recap: Hitomi's grip on the wall slipped and she fell. Sarah raced over, but stopped, frozen by the sight in front of her. White wings.....Hitomi's white wings.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi looked behind herself in horror. She was dreaming. She must be. It was the only thing that made sense. Hitomi's shock caused her to faint. Sarah flew down just before she hit the ground. She flapped the enormous angel wings on her back and got the sleeping girl back to the part of roof that still stood. *Hitomi...this is impossible. Well I... * But Sarah's thoughts were interrupted by a very shocked raven-haired boy.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Van's POV *Ugh! I can't sleep. Hmm...I wonder how Hitomi is. She's probably sleeping in her bed with a happy dream. * He sighed, wishing he could be so lucky. *I might as well practice. It'll make me tired, and then I will have to sleep! * Van heard a loud noise of something falling and heard a yell. He raced to the steps and went up them to see Sarah, wings spread. This of course was not unusual to Van, just not an often occurrence. He was even about to say hi or something when he saw what was in Sarah's arms. Hitomi. Hitomi with wings jetting out of her back. Van froze, in disbelief.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah looked at Van and appeared if she had been caught doing something wrong. * Perfect! * She thought sarcastically *Another person who needs an explanation, which, I can't give. *  
  
"Hi Van...how are you these days?" Van gave Sarah a blank stare in pure terrified surprise. "I know Van...I know." "Help me carry her down stairs would you?"  
  
Van nodded coming out of his trance. Van and Sarah carried the girl down the steps.  
  
Van was still shocked *Hitomi...how is it possible? Why do you have wings? You aren't a draconian...are you? * He stared at her white wings. They looked so...beautiful. Van had always thought his wings a curse...*but now... *  
  
Sarah and Van sat Hitomi on the bed and she woke up. "Sarah? Van? What? I had this amazing dream tha..." Sarah was shaking her head.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Hitomi...That wasn't a dream...lest, we are all dreaming...look behind you."  
  
Hitomi turn her attention to her back, and her eyes fell upon two, soft, white wings that glowed in the moonlight, peeping through the windows to see the young angel. "This...can be happening."  
  
"But it IS Hitomi." Said Sarah strongly.  
  
"How? How do you...have wings?" Van asked still seemingly in a good coma with how much he talked anyway.  
  
"I...don't know." And Hitomi retracted them.  
  
Sarah looked up. Her thoughts jolted. She remembered something. Some scientists in Zaibach had been discussing genetics. She saw some charts that had some strange labels and even saw in their files that they had taken blood samples from Van! She didn't know why on earth they had done that. But now she did. It was plain as day, the pain Hitomi had in her back. The thing she fell on was...  
  
"I know." Sarah said quietly, and both heads turned to face her.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
"You know?" They said in unison.  
  
"Yes. Hitomi, Do you remember falling down in Zaibach?"  
  
"Yes. I remember something sharp pierced my back."  
  
"It was a needle. I remember seeing it. I think I now know what was going on."  
  
"What?" Van asked, unable to bare the silence.  
  
"Van? Did they take blood samples from you?"  
  
"Yes...but I don't see how..." It suddenly dawned on the two, what Sarah was getting at.  
  
"Zaibach has tempered with living subjects...changing them...like Naria and Eyria or Celena."  
  
They stared at her, still in disbelief.  
  
"That needle had...genetically altered draconian blood in it."  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
(Now I am sorry to say that they didn't reflect on that subject a lot. I am going to have them go to bed.)  
  
Sarah had gone to bed. (See?) But Van decided to stay a little while and think. (Well..uh..) Van stared at the dark sky that matched his hair, except for the glimmering stars and two moons of course.  
  
"Van?" Called the sandy haired girl.  
  
"Oh, Hitomi." *I thought she went to bed. *  
  
" Are you thinking?"  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
" What about?"  
  
"...A lot of things...About my past...and my..." Van couldn't seem to finish the thought. *Curse... * He thought.  
  
"Your what?"  
  
"...curse." He said quietly.  
  
Hitomi actually laughed. Van stared blankly at her. *She's laughing? Why in Gaea is she laughing? * Hitomi smiled with a gentle glow and said softly,  
  
"You mean your wings, don't you?" She said, starting to become a little more serious.  
  
Van only nodded.  
  
"Van..." Hitomi began, blushing slightly. "I don't think your wings are a curse...I remember that day you saved me."  
  
~Flash back~ (please don't kill me.. I know I have too many! I'm sorry.)  
  
A large rumble tore through the ground as the white dragon flew through the sky. Two girls clung to a wall, a brown headed teen and a pink haired cat girl. The teen slipped from her grasp and slid down rock. Her were arms hanging useless, unable to stop her. "HITOMI!" The boy with the ebony locks yelled. He flew over to the crack, watching the strange girl fall. He ripped his blood red shirt over his unruly shadow colored hair. He dove headfirst into the bottomless chasm. With his arms out from his side, white wings flowed from his back. His decent began to slow as he reached the girl below. (More verses that I hope don't annoy you people.) Her tree-green eyes widened in awe, as she stared at the glowing figure before her. "You're an angel..." The girl exclaimed before blacking out.  
  
~End of flash back~  
  
Hitomi had one more thing to say. "As I said...that day... I do really...like your wings and I do think they're beautiful." Hitomi muttered the last part with a very red face. This was exactly the same embarrassing feeling she felt when she said that the first time. *My face has to be the color of a cherry right now. * Hitomi thought.  
  
Van smiled. He remembered that day as well as Hitomi. She had been told all he knew about his wings, his family, and his curse. She probably knew more than he did, with abilities like hers. She actually said his wings were beautiful, long before she had her own. (I LUV VAN'S WINGS! YAY! ^ ^U Sorry...couldn't help it.) She had always been so loving and kind...She was always able to get him out of his dark moods...He had to say something! He had to tell her that!  
  
*Come on! If you care so much, tell her! * His mind screamed at him. *But what if... * He tried to argue. *No what ifs! Now! Tell her how you REALLY feel! * It yelled. *Okay! I'll...I'm gonna tell her. * He took a breath and gathered his courage to tell her.  
  
"Hitomi?"  
  
"Yes Van?" She said with a pleasant smile.  
  
*Oh, come on! * The voice from his head yelled again. *I'm trying...it's just...it so hard with...her staring at me that way...I can shoot my mouth off and say something stupid...but when it comes to something like this... *  
  
Van was leaning towards Hitomi so their faces got close.  
  
"T-there...is something...I want to...tell you." *Nice job, prince charming! Now say it already! * *Shut up! I'm trying to! * (More arguing. /sigh/ Van just can't get along with himself.)  
  
Hitomi stared, with her face regaining redness. *Is he going to? No...but...is he? Van... *  
  
_________________________________________________  
  
Me: I'm sorry! I couldn't help myself! I just had to leave it there!  
  
Sarah: Even if you couldn't help it...that's just cruel.  
  
Yami: AHAHAHAHAHA! I helped!  
  
Me: Yeah...Yami takes credit...  
  
Fluff: I helped with the sweet stuff...but I didn't want to take part of this!  
  
Van: Am I skitsophrinic now? (A person with multiple personalities for you non scientist types.)  
  
Me: No Van...now you know what it's like to be me.  
  
Yami and fluff: WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?!  
  
EOE: @.@U  
  
Van's other half: Say Yami? Ya wanna go out?  
  
Yami: YAY! *A van for me! *  
  
Me: ......Yamis...Go figure -_-U  
  
Sarah: Please review! The faster you review...the faster you will know if Van will stop being shy and fess up...or do what he always does.  
  
Van: Hey!  
  
Me: Quiet Van!  
  
Van: Yes ma 'am....  
  
R&R! 


	11. Please don't kill me! Proving your worth

Reviewies! YAYS! I want to huggle you all! ....Okay....I'll be quiet now.  
  
Destiny7: Your reviews are always entertaining! ^ ^ Thanx 4 doing them! Yes Yami is so bad. Yami: /Cackles maniacally/ Yes!!! YES I AM! Me: -_-U...you sleep with a blues clues night light and my purple teddy bear! Yami: Shh! Not everybody has to know! Me: How about your pony puff P.J.s? Yami:....AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Me: hehehehe..Hey teya! Nice to meet ya! Xien and Anaiya! Yay! Well thanx u guy 4 all the support. And Thanx cause I might not be writing if it weren't 4 you (...and everybody else that reviews...but thanx all the same! ^ ^)  
  
Sqeekers: It's okay! ^ ^ You're not lazy. I really appreciate the fact that you take the time to review at all! ^ ^ You guys are really nice...Okay....Three cheers for reviewers! HIP HIP! HORRAY! X 3! Hehehehehehe. I know....I actually want to let Van say it. I want him to! ..but I can't...I swear! I have to go along with this for a while...but this is a VH romance and I swear that angel-boy is going to fess up. But as for when....you are going to hate me. @_@ ..I'm serious...every one here is going to hate me for when...I can promise you one thing...no matter what I do to my characters...I would like you to keep reading this story till the end. You won't hate me if you do. I can't tell you more than that though.  
  
Lyra Eyota: I'm sorry. *Shows embarrassed and sympathetic look on face. * You're right. That's cruel. I'm going to actually have to be even crueler in the chapters to come....I really shouldn't be saying this but...I love happy endings. (I also love dramatic sad endings...but there is a good chance this will end happy...just bare with me ok?) Please proceed to blame Yami. Yami: Yeah please proceed to...WHAT?!?!?! Btw I work from my Dad's computer...and My dad's job IS computers. So..I try not to leave you guys all the time...but my cliffys come sometimes from not having the time to finish.  
  
Chicken stars: Good to hear from you! *Smiles * I glad you like it! I will try btw to update more.  
  
Attention ALL READERS! Please pay attention to my statement: In the latter chapters, it....it's going to get to a genre of dark. Please read the whole story and THEN decide to hate me or not at the END of the story..I'll say to you it's the end in big bold Letters when I mean it is the end. It's NOT the end yet! SO keep reading!  
  
Disclaimer: Ryu-ru ta Escaflowne (Translation: I don't own Escaflowne. Note: this is in Sarah's language, so don't bother looking it up. Yes, Sarah does have her own language. ^ ^ I created it! And because I did....that I own!)  
  
Sarah: This chap.. Me: can I say it? Sarah: fine. Me: This chapter is called: Prove your worth. Sarah: Happy? Me: YES! Sarah: -_-...whatever.  
  
Recap: "T-there...is something...I want to...tell you." *Nice job, prince charming! Now say it already! * *Shut up! I'm trying to!  
  
Hitomi stared, with her face regaining redness. *Is he going to? No...but...is he? Van... *  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
"Hitomi...I....I..." *Say it! Say it! Say it! *  
  
"Van?" Hitomi stared at Van waiting. * Does this mean....he really....*  
  
Van got reeeal close to Hitomi and tried to say it again. "I..."  
  
"VAN-SAMA!" The cat girl bounded into view. (It was either Sarah or Merle and I don't want people annoyed at Sarah.)  
  
"Merle!" Hitomi cried out of surprise.  
  
"Hitomi! I heard you were sick! Are you okay now?" Merle asked, worriedly.  
  
"I'm fine Merle."  
  
"Well good! Bye Van-sama." Merle bounded out of sight, leaving the two alone.  
  
"Van...what was it you wanted to say?"  
  
"I...umm...good night." Van said, (Okay...I couldn't let him say it yet...but I am going to do this for the poor guy.) before he knew what he was doing, he leaned down and kissed Hitomi on her forehead. Hitomi's eyes went wide with shock, and though she couldn't see it, Van's did too. *How did I get here? * He thought. Van turned and walked to his room with a hidden smile. He laid himself down on his bed and looked at the roof.  
  
"Sweet dreams Hitomi." He whispered, before closing his eyes and taking his own advice.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi stared after the king who had left the room. She touched her forehead and once again her eyes went wide. "Does this mean that Van...?" *Maybe....just maybe. * Hitomi slept with that though on her mind and warming her heart (Yes it is sappy....But I don't care!)  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
(Tell me if you don't like the parts to come in this chapter...they are a little shaky.)  
  
Van was with Hitomi the next morning, he had taken her on a picnic. She was laughing and talking with him as the old friends that they were. At the end of the day, Van took Hitomi to the beach, at sunset. They watched the colors fill the sky, and cover the sea with a fiery glow. Van saw how Hitomi's hair blew in the gentle breeze, how it played with her locks of sandy hair. He saw her emerald eyes watched the colors dance in sky and how they would light up as the great light faded. Finally Hitomi spoke.  
  
"Thank you Van, for this wonderful day."  
  
"Hitomi." Van smiled. He had that nagging feeling in him again...that he needed to tell her how he felt. He again got up the courage and started.  
  
"Hitomi I..." He didn't get real far, since Hitomi put her hand to his mouth. He wondered what she was doing, and she smiled and shook her head, then leaned in to kiss him. Van's eyes went wide and he grinned. *And no Merle! Good going Fanel! Just a little closer...This is too good to be true! * (Sorry...since I chose those words, I guess you ALL know what's coming next. I'm sorry, but Yami has been getting to me.)  
  
"Van?"  
  
"GET UP VAN!"  
  
Van started to wake up.  
  
"Hitomi?" He said groggily still half way in his dream.  
  
"Guess again, lover boy! Come on!"  
  
"Oh Sarah! It's you..." Van said finally opening his eyes. He cursed under his breath. *It was a dream! Grr...fate is so cruel...let me sleep a little longer! * (Fate...or a certain Yami...)  
  
"Get UP! You're late for breakfast and your practice with Allen is today." Sarah then left the room.  
  
*Great! A practice with Allen I CAN'T wait! * Thought Van sarcastically. Van of course had more than enough reason to be a little ticked. One, he had lost a lot of sleep last night, even before the Hitomi wing incident. Two, he was mad at the fact that Sarah had interrupted his dream. (Hey, it may be a dream....but still...) Three, Van was mad at himself for not actually tell Hitomi how he really felt...other wise it might not have been only a dream. Four, ...He didn't recall what four was...but he was sure there was one! *Oh yeah. * He thought. *Allen. * He did like the calie knight, but Allen had disturbed him so many ways...including...He remembered that day on the bridge.  
  
~ Flash back ~  
  
Rain danced around two figures in its path. It icily bit the two as they stood on a wooden bridge that overlooked a crystal clear river flowing fiercely, yet it was graceful. A tall blonde man and a sandy hared girl stood close together against the darkened sky that cried the icy tears. The two embraced, but the girl held back.  
  
"Hitomi. I see only you." Allen whispered to the girl. (N/A SHUT UP ALLEN! YA EVIL PLAYBOY! You give blondes a bad name! I'm blonde! ARG...)  
  
*Oh Allen.... *  
  
The (currently Evil ) blonde leaned towards the girl. Closer...Closer they came....as did a green hared man and a cat woman far away from the couple. They leaned...the moment got the best of the girl....she gave in to the man. Their lips touched in a kiss.  
  
A boy with raven colored hair came walking to the sight unknowing what pain he was about to feel. *I have to find Hitomi! I have to make things right...to tell her how I feel...She's probably freezing! Poor Hitomi...I'm so sorry Hitomi! I'll make things right. I just hope it's not too late! *  
  
Suddenly the boy looked up at the pair. His heart froze. He stood in shock. There they were, in a kiss! Van laughed at himself and the cruel fate. *She was here...with Allen...Allen! * Van stood still, frozen with a searing emotional pain that coursed though his whole being...his very soul. That sight had hurt the deepest part of him. His heart. He recalled sword wounds and cuts...but nothing in the world hurt like this.  
  
At the kiss the sky broke with the sun. Many people thought it was a sign of joy. To Van though...it was like another thing that mocked him. It seemed to laugh at him as well.  
  
The couple broke their kiss. Hitomi turned away from Allen with a red face. She meet with a sight she didn't expect. "Van..." Hitomi whispered.  
  
Van saw Hitomi look at him...she had an expression of guilt. Van looked at her with eyes full of the pain he felt. *How could you Hitomi?! * His eyes said, with accusation and betrayal. He fought back tears. He ran from the girl he loved.  
  
Hitomi wanted to go after him. Allen held her back. (ALLEN! #@#$%*^$ BAKA! That was the one time when I really actually hated Allen. That episode...WHY!?!?!?!?! )  
  
Van had gone back to the mill, Merle help him get warm. Merle said something...but Van didn't hear.  
  
*And worst of all...it's my own fault! I want to blame Hitomi! Blame Allen! I want to punch him! To break that horribly beautiful face! But it's my fault! I should have told her what I really thought of her...I don't want your power Hitomi...I...want your love...but it's my fault...I practically pushed you into Allen's arms... * He put a hand to his still burning cheek. He had deserved it for what he said. Hitomi had given him what he deserved. Now he faced the consequences for being a coward. *How cruel.... *  
  
~ End of Flash back ~  
  
Allen had done the one thing Van had always wanted to do...hold Hitomi in his arms...and kiss her. Van sighed. "You know...I'd like to have a fight with Allen...not a practice...but a fight." *Yeah...I'd like to see who's better. Besides...I have a lot of frustration right now...beating on somebody would help. * Van smiled.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ ___  
  
Me: Sorry to leave it there....I didn't mean to....but I have to get to work...And dad wants his computer back! Next up will be Van's day and His fight with Allen..excuse me..his duel with Allen.  
  
Sarah: YEAH! AND DON'T YOU FORGET IT!  
  
Me: o_o...Whatever...okay umm the rating isn't very true except for the blood that Van had on him in the beginning...Cause the only other Violence was Hitomi skimming her arm...I guess the latter chapters...like Van's battle w/ dilandau is where that violence is going to be. I wouldn't personally have a five-year-old kid watching Escaflowne. (Especially episode "Dangerous wounds" @.@ Yeah I can see a person watching Escaflowne with their little brother or sister...and trying to explain the thing with Marlene and Allen...  
  
Sarah: Did Yami help you on this one?  
  
Me: Yup....Yami is going to help me on the latter ones especially. It's going to get dark....but I can't say if it's gonna end happy or sad.  
  
Yami: WAHAHAHAHAHAHA! SAD!  
  
Fluff: how dare you! HAPPY!  
  
Hitomi & Van: don't we get a say in this?! YOU ARE DECIDING OUR FUTURE!  
  
Me: NO!  
  
*All go into fight with that dust ball in cartoons except Sarah. *  
  
Sarah: @.@U ( sweat drops) ...Umm....R&R please. 


	12. Let The Duel begin!

/Sigh/ another day, another chapter. I'm sick today...I have been for...8 days now. Ugh! I though I would be WELL by now! I'm doing okay though. I still have 2 much to do. I'll try to post more though. I can't believe I actually find time to post so often. Well here I am! ^_^ Okay! Today we are going to have Van's day and his fight w/ Allen! Sarah: That's duel! Me: You mean like Yu-gi-oh!? I love that show! Sarah: T_TU ...no. Me: But...I thought.... Sarah: never mind. Reviews! :  
  
A New Reviewer! Avelyn Lauren: Nice to meet ya! I'm glad you like it. ^ ^ I'm happy you find it interesting and you think my cliffhangers are good. I hope you enjoy the next chapters. I want everybody to enjoy reading as much as I do writing for you guys! (And for technicality girls too!)  
  
Lyra Eyota: I hear ya. I like those dreams too! ^_^ (I luv VAN! MUST HUGGLE! *Grabs Van plushy with retractable wings and hugs the stuffing out of it * Hehehe....I know...I have problems.) I'll try to help with that flashback thing. I'm glad you like them...I am going to explain Sarah's Flashbacks soon. I just kind of forgot that part. I might have to write a sequel about Sarah's past. I think I am going to have to, to explain everything.  
  
Animecrazed: Thanks! ^_____________^ *Smiles the biggest smile in history * I can't feel my face lol.  
  
Sqeekers: Thanks for the encouragement sqeekers! I luv your reviews. Yup! My torturing these poor souls is part of my master plot. LOL....well, the thing is, I have everything planned out....I must continue. Thanx for the support! ^ ^ UR AWESOME!  
  
Destiny7: Yeah. Yami's so bad. (Yami: YES! Me: don't make me say it! Yami: you wouldn't dare! Me: *Grins really wide. *: Pony puff! Yami: *Cowers in terror *) Yeah. I'm building drama. I'm with teya! Dilly's going down! She just finished watch Escaflowne huh? YOU GO Xien! @_@U umm...yeah, you too Teya. AHHH! CAT FIGHT! *Jumps out of the way and flees in terror * Be quiet Cereya. You too tenks! YAY FRYING PANS! (LOL I had so much fun writing that.)  
  
Disclaimer: I am too tired to type "I don't own Escaflowne."...wait...huh?  
  
Yami: This chapter is called: DIE EVERYBODY! Sarah: YAMI! Yami: ....Okay....Fine....It's called Duel or die. (The continuation of Proving your worth.) Sarah: That's better. Yami:/mutters/ My title was better... Sarah: WHAT? Yami: /laughs nervously/ Nothing!  
  
Recap: Van sighed. "You know...I'd like to have a fight with Allen...not a practice...but a fight." *Yeah...I'd like to see who's better. Besides...I have a lot of frustration right now...beating on somebody would help. * Van smiled.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah was waiting for Van to get ready for the day ahead. She was wearing bright white pants and a sleeveless green shirt with a brownish-red belt for her sword. Her deep fiery hair was pulled up in a high ponytail. She didn't like dresses that much and certainly wouldn't wear them on ordinary days, she would only wear one on special occasion. Otherwise, you would have quite a time trying to convince her. She did admit though, that she thought they looked very pretty, just not comfortable.  
  
Sarah at present was tapping her foot with impatience. She had called Van several times, and though she had a good deal of patience, today she was just a little bit tense and wanted to actually be doing something than waiting around. *This is the tenth time Van! You are working my last nerve...oh well...it's a beautiful day...it's not going to be if Van doesn't hurry up though. *  
  
Van burst though the door, in his regular attire. A red sleeveless shirt, like his ruby eyes, and comfy beige colored pants. His sword was at his hip and he seemed like his was looking for something, with how preoccupied he looked.  
  
"Van?" Sarah had first thought of berating him for not being quicker, but decided against it.  
  
"Sarah. Uh...where's Allen."  
  
"He left Van, if you had been a little quicker, you would have caught him."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Van, breakfast is downstairs. Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah. If you see Allen...tell him, I'd like to have a duel."  
  
Van ran down the stairs to have a quick breakfast, leaving the puzzled lady to stare after him.  
  
"A....Duel?" * Why? Huh...well, I guess today is going to get interesting. * Sarah shrugged and walked to the garden.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi was just getting dressed in dark blue skirt with a white blouse. Merle was doing her hair. "Sit still Hitomi!" The cat girl whined.  
  
"You keep poking me with your claws!" Hitomi once again, for the thousandth time, (according to Merle.) Shifted in the chair.  
  
"I'm almost done Hitomi!" Merle yelled.  
  
Finally Merle finished and put a flower in Hitomi's hair. Hitomi smiled.  
  
"Now that wasn't so bad, was it?" Merle said.  
  
Hitomi winced.  
  
"Arg!"  
  
A voice from behind them laughed. They spun around to see a dark brown cat boy with chocolate brown eyes standing in the doorway, nearly busting a gut with laughter. Merle glared at the cat boy and he immediately clamped his mouth shut. He made an embarrassed face, because he did mean for them to hear him.  
  
"Tyru!" Merle scolded him.  
  
"Sorry, Lady Merle." The cat boy showed a small smile and bounded out of the room.  
  
"Who was that?" Asked Hitomi, after the boy had (Wisely) left the room.  
  
Merle blushed. "Oh, him? He's Tyru, the new servant..."  
  
"Your boyfriend?" Hitomi teased.  
  
"No!" Merle said loudly, while turning a deep red. (Aww....Cat love!)  
  
"Oh come on Merle!"  
  
"How about we talk about you and Lord Van!"  
  
Now it was Hitomi's turn to blush. "Okay...we can drop the subject." Hitomi said showing that she was VERY embarrassed.  
  
"Aww....you're no fun!"  
  
Then the girls sat back and had a good laugh.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah finished her walk to the garden and was going to head back when she saw a figure standing by a fountain. (Can you guess who? It's a mystery! Sorry...^ ^U )  
  
"Hey Allen!"  
  
"Sarah! What's going on?"  
  
"Nothing much...." Sarah said to the man in blue. *I marvel at that hair of yours Allen...how do you carry all that with out getting a head ache? * (I had to say it!)  
  
"Oh well then I guess I'll be leaving."  
  
Suddenly Sarah remembered what Van had said that morning. "Allen!"  
  
"Yes?" Allen turned.  
  
"Van wants a duel. I think this evening at the battle arena."  
  
Allen gave a look of surprise. "Okay. Thank you."  
  
Sarah turned to find the fire-eyed boy.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Van had eaten a hurried breakfast and wanted to take a morning fly, but decided against it. He was currently looking over a few papers. Van sighed. He did like being a king and helping his people...but he didn't much care for paper work. He like being out there, helping his people rebuild their lives, not sitting here talking about it with his advisors. He was going to go out for some sword practice, when he bumped into Sarah.  
  
"Van! That's an interesting way to say hello. New custom?"  
  
Van rolled his eyes at his friend's joke. Sarah generally had something to say about what ever happened. She like to make light of any situation. She wanted to cheer Van up when she said stuff like that. Sarah was usually serious, but ever since Hitomi left....She had done her best to help her friend out of his usual sour mood.  
  
"Sure Sarah. The one thing is people will get dizzy, falling all over the place."  
  
"Hehehe...well, Allen will meet you by the fighting arena."  
  
"Thank you." Van replied simply.  
  
"Oh, and Van?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I liked pretend when I was little, but I think I would like to stop playing messenger now." Sarah said with a playful twinkle in her eyes.  
  
Van chuckled. "Okay Sarah."  
  
(Is Sarah a little too friendly? I don't know why I thought that...weird. Well there isn't going to be much fluff just yet...but soon.) ~@~@~@~@~  
  
Merle and Hitomi were chatting about the past and what happened since she left. When a voice interrupted.  
  
"Hitomi! Merle! Come on!" Sarah called, leaning on the oak doorway.  
  
"Sarah? What's up?" Hitomi asked with curiosity.  
  
Sarah sighed. "Van and Allen are going to have a duel. I thought you guys might want to come and be the cheering section."  
  
Merle sprang up. Hitomi was a little hesitant. "A duel?"  
  
Sarah laughed. "Don't worry! It's not to the death or anything."  
  
Hitomi smiled. "Okay. I guess I'm a cheerleader today!" She laughed at the though of herself in pom-poms and Fanelia colors, shouting one of those stupid slogans. (I don't mean any offence to cheerleaders in this comment. I was forced to be one in a camp and I now know what hard work it is. I won't ever slam cheerleaders as hard ever again. I have to say that you people work at it well, it's just...you do look pretty mindless up there...*Embarrassed look* well...you do. But I will play nice from now on.)  
  
Sarah gave Hitomi a look. "Cheerleader?"  
  
"Never mind. It's a Ear...Mystic moon thing."  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
They stood at the arena ready to watch. Van was getting a little nervous. *No! * He told himself. *You are going to prove your greatness as a soldier! As a swordsman! * He began to walk to the arena. Allen stood waiting. Van had his armor on and it fit him now, he didn't look like he was sneaking into his dad's wardrobe now. His extra height helped and now he was just a little more muscular now. He did have a reason to be just a little bit on the cautious side. Allen was one of the knights of heaven. *I'm going to show that Allen isn't that much of a hotshot! *  
  
Allen stood waiting, just waiting for the boy to come out. Allen still thought Van a bit young, with the fact that he was barely an adult. Allen resisted the urge to tap his foot. *YOU challenged ME Van. Come on! I'm not supposed to be the one waiting here. *  
  
Hitomi was still just a little nervous. She thought it was just the match. Something else did tug at her mind, demanding attention. What was it?  
  
Sarah was just a little concerned. Van looked pretty serious about this. *Like he was...nah...couldn't be. *  
  
Van stepped out to face Allen, when he heard cheering from the stands. He looked up. There was Merle cheering her heart out, but that he expected. I mean, he could go to the ends of the earth and she would still find him! Right next to Merle there was Sarah. She was frowning a little. When she saw Van, she smiled and winked, meaning, "Go get 'em!" Then Van's gaze traveled to the last visitor. The girl that he loved. *Hitomi. * Yes. There she was, smiling at Van. Van stood there and time froze for him. But then he remembered that they weren't alone here and Allen was waiting.  
  
Van went to the center of the ring. Allen had a small smile on his face. The guy looked as careless as if he was going out for tea! Not like he was going to fight a great legend and warrior. Van's face was fixed for seriousness. Inside he was just a little nervous. But when he looked up, there was the emerald-eyed girl. *It'll be like I'm doing this for her. I'll win this for you, Hitomi! *  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah refereed and "Ready?" They got into stances. "Set!" They drew their swords. "Go!" Van charged Allen with everything he had. Allen jumped back in surprise. The force Van was using was intense. He was never this fast or strong before.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ ____  
  
Do to request I am going to explain some of the flashbacks which were derived from the episodes themselves. The last Flashback that was in chapter 8, the one about the slaying of the dragon, (the ones before it were from my story. Like my recaps.) That was from episode one of Escaflowne. In this episode, Van appeared on earth and a dragon followed him to it. Van had to slay the dragon as a king rite. The dragon was chasing Hitomi and her friends and Van was chasing it. Because Hitomi told Van the thing was going to strike, Van isn't pushing up daisies. I included what Van's thoughts probably were at the time, after he killed the dragon and Hitomi asked him if he was okay. Sadly, Van wasn't a gentleman when they first met.  
  
When Hitomi and Van are talking about the curse of the draconian. That's episode 8 of Escaflowne. The rumbling is a Drag- energist mine blowing up. I think the rest explains itself.  
  
The flashback in the previous chapter is after Van said something Very stupid to Hitomi, she got mad and slapped him. When she got caught in the rain, she ran into Allen, who was also out there because of his own problems. They ran into each other because of a plot by Zaibach. They were using the gravity of a force they called love. They used a big machine to force Allen and Hitomi together. They need to people to play the part of Allen and Hitomi to bring the real two together, so they used Eriya and Folken. Van was worried about Hitomi, so he went out to find her....and ended up witnessing their little kiss. Hitomi was a little hesitant to get too close to Allen, because of Millerna. That's as good as I can do.  
  
I hope this helps for those who have forgotten, or never even saw, most of Escaflowne. If you have never seen Escaflowne at all and don't know anything about it....Then...I am bound to confuse you. I can't help that. I speak to everybody here with that problem and I target no one. Some one helped to notify me that this could cause a problem, thank you! ^ ^ I appreciate anybody's advice and will do my best, as a writer to help anybody who reads.  
  
Sarah: That was long.  
  
Me: Yeah! My fingers are in casts now.  
  
Sarah: NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Me: T_TU ......I'm kidding.  
  
Sarah: But... I... uh....  
  
Yami: Hey there!  
  
Everyone: YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!  
  
Yami: What? What did I do?  
  
Dilly: Thanks for helping me set Allen's hair on fire.  
  
Yami: No problem! Here's some more gasoline, and you can find the matches in the kitchen.  
  
Dilly: AHAHAHAHAHA!  
  
Everyone: *Glares at Yami *  
  
Yami: What?  
  
Allen: MY HAIR! MY BEAUTIFUL HAIR!!!!  
  
Yami: I suggest you go for a shave.  
  
Me: *Warning tone * Yami!  
  
R&R PLEASE! 


	13. The Duel!

Hey there! Let's continue! I might write a sequel that explains Sarah's past and has a bit more VH Fluff. Maybe even S/? Fluff? Let's get down to it? Sarah: down? Me: You know what I mean. Sarah: I do? Me: NEVER MIND! Sarah: @.@U Reviews:  
  
I want to thank everyone for your polling, Ideas, encouragement, and kind words. I wouldn't be able to do this w/o U!  
  
Laura: Yay! Another new reviewer! I am glad you like that part, I was hoping you people would! I had just watched "Operation golden rule of love." I'm always either nearly crying when I see Van's sad face, or I'm nearly yelling at Van (When he says I want your power.) "You BAKA! You poor Baka boy." I so happy to know you like it! My face always lights up when I see happy reviews! YAY! Don't die! Here! Read!  
  
Destiny7 (And friends of course!): Good to hear from you! Yes. Cat boy servant (Thanx 4 the Idea.)! Hehehe.... I'm seriously bad at duels, but I try to make them interesting. Some of my friends say the good thing about my writing is descriptive wording...Hehehe...I don't know about that...Yes, I am going to have a little Allen bashing here. (Yami: YAY! Me: One more word and I swear I'll tell them about that Christmas accident! Yami: AHH! I GIVE!) Xien: Glad you like duels! Teya: Well, that may be true, but I think you're all nuts, not just Xien. AHHHH! Another fight! EEP! Once again, yay frying pans! Too late, somebody else already got to dilly. You'll see that in this chapter. /Follows everyone's example/ @.@ Thanks especially 4 Ur support and Ideas destiny7 (And friends!)  
  
Animecrazed: Hehehe...Yup! Glad you like! Here's another chapter!  
  
Sqeekers: I seriously was already considering letting Yami do that hair thing. (I'm sooooo bad....*Ashamed face *) Yes. Allen needs a haircut badly. Yeah. I included a catboy servant. (Even merle needs a little romance...actually she needs it a lot! Get her away from Van!) This whole part is about the duel. I'm no good at fight scenes usually, so I'll try really hard to make this one good. That thank you, up there is also a good bit directed toward you!(so once again....) Thanx!  
  
Btw (By the way if you did not know.) I have a problem again w/ my computer. It now, will not let me type the contraction of not. Like cant instead of can not. I don't know if my example will work. So If you noticed that, please over look it. I'm trying to fix it as you read.  
  
Disclaimer: Sarah: I made a song! Oh! She doesn't own it! Or anything! That poor girl doesn't even have wings! I know this because it's true! Me: But I own one thing! And that is you! Me: -_-U I can't believe you talked me into this! Sarah: Well you said you didn't know what to put here! You take what you get! Me: -_-U  
  
Sarah: This chapter is called The Duel!  
  
Recap: Sarah refereed and "Ready?" They got into stances. "Set!" They drew their swords. "Go!" Van charged Allen with everything he had. Allen jumped back in surprise. The force Van was using was intense. He was never this fast or strong before.  
  
(In case you want to know...Van's mind set is to prove himself. Kind of corny...but he's fighting for Hitomi....he's doing a knight's version of showing off for his girlfriend. As well as proving to himself that he's worthy of her. That last bit is the corniest part for me...I dunno....I do think it's sweet though.)  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
A vicious battle started. Allen was shocked at Van's speed, but eventually recovered and managed to dodge, and even match, Van's attacks and speed. Allen had been training longer, but Van was faster, and something seemed to drive him today. Van's normally calm eyes of ruby, lit ablaze with passion. Allen could tell that Van didn't intent to stop this match till he won.  
  
"Not bad Van, you're getting better." Allen said with his crystal blue eyes for lack of breath.  
  
Van nearly smiled at that, but held his serious expression. He slashed Allen's right, but Allen blocked and retaliated with a swipe at his feet, causing Van to jump and lose composure. Van straitened himself and circled Allen for a few minutes trying to see what he would do next.  
  
Allen was hoping he could wear Van down. Van's speed was what mainly worried him. Van was very strong, but Allen had the better of him in that area. Allen was also aware that Van had been trained by Balgus like he had. This could be a disadvantage or an advantage.  
  
(I'm trying to make this as interesting as possible, considering I was never good with fight scenes. Romance scenes, humor, death, dark or just plain scenes....but not battle. /sigh/)  
  
Van decided he had waited long enough. He charged Allen again. At this move Allen would have been weak, except for the fact that Van had charged at Allen exactly like this before and Allen was going to use that against him again.  
  
Van charged. He came up close and was about to strike. *Nearly there! * When Allen knocked his sword out of his hands! This would get almost anyone and clinch the match for Allen, but Van was too quick.  
  
Van spun around and caught the sword, he quickly turned around and blocked a hard blow on his left. Van winced from the shock. He nearly left go of his sword. He gripped it hard and waited for Allen's next hit.  
  
Allen was smiling. He knew that Van might be able to beat him, but he was smiling! Van was doing very well. He actually impressed the knight. Allen had never seen Van fight so hard. *What on earth could be driving you? *  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Merle was on the edge of the stands cheering her lungs out. Sarah actually had to restrain the cat girl from running into the arena. Sarah laughed at merle's antics, but she was a little worried. Allen and Van were sure going at it!  
  
*No...Van's the one who's really going for it here. *  
  
Hitomi was also really nervous. *Wow. Van's fighting really hard. I'm glad they are wearing armor. But why is he going at it like this? I don't know anything about sword fighting...but I know Van. Why? *  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Allen was pretty fine with everything and was going pretty slowly. Just barely enough to keep up with Van, until...(I hope you're happy Yami!) Van accidentally slashed Allen's head, which was just manly to scare him or at lease make him lose his composure, It didn't come near his head of course. But it did hit his hair. Yeah, you read that right. ALLEN'S hair. It cut off a tiny lock. Allen freaked. Everyone tried to suppress a little laughter. This of course made poor Allen mad. (You REALLY would notice the difference if you were there. I swear it was just a little trim. I don't have the heart to make Van slash it too badly. He only got a little bit! I promise.)  
  
Allen charged the boy that hit his beautiful hair, who at the time, was trying desperately to suppress a chuckle.  
  
Van jumped back and saw that in his blind rage, Allen had done the most foolish thing possible. He left himself open for a hit. Van grinned and slashed him. He prepared to knock the sword out of the shocked knight's hand. Van would have won..except...well...  
  
"DID YOU MISS ME VAN?!" Called a psycho voice from a red Guymelef.  
  
~@~@~@~@~ (I wanted to make this longer..but my hands are tired and I want to finish this quickly.)  
  
"Dilandau!"  
  
"So you recognize me VAN?!"  
  
Van was ticked. He was just plain ticked. Dilandau had the nerve to interrupt him now? *That does it! I am fed up with you! You are going down! *  
  
Van ran to Escaflowne. He jumped inside and flew to Dilly, hitting him hard.  
  
Dilandau laughed. "That tickles!"  
  
Van growled. "Oh yeah? I show you TICKLES!"  
  
They seemed to dance around the arena forever. Dilandau was tired of Van's moves not to attack, so he started burning things. This got Van's attention.  
  
Van slashed dilly, and he blocked. Van slashed his feet and dilly jumped. Dilly and Van charged at each other fiercely. They both were angry. Van for his pain that dilly caused, and dilly for how Van got in his way.  
  
Their swords hit each other and clanged. They were thrown back.  
  
Dilly was getting frustrated. *What do I have to do to kill you?! *  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi could only sit back and watch the battle. It scared her. Van's battles always scared her. She thought at first that it was because they were just plain frightening. Or maybe it was because she feared she would be hurt. *No...I learned that I know better. It's because I care for Van. I worry about him. I don't want to lose him. *  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Dilly tried an assault with his flame-throwers. "Feel the burn VAN!" But Van was too quick. It wasn't going to work. Dilandau began to get raging mad. Then out of stupidity and rage, he charged Van again. But Van was waiting for this and clashed swords with the pyro boy. They tried to out push the other in strength. But Van was going to win. Dilandau had to find away out of this. So he looked for a figure in the small crowd of friends.  
  
*There! It's that B%^7$ from the mystic moon * (I'm not gonna type that. Especially when he is talking about Hitomi.)  
  
Dilandau saw his chance and shot.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi was still watching Van. *Please win this Van! Please be okay! * Hitomi look around her. Allen and Sarah were standing watching. Hitomi could tell Sarah didn't like just watching and was about to go get her Guymelef when... Something was about to hit Hitomi! *Hitomi! NO! * Sarah thought and raced towards her.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
*Yes! DIE! * (Dilly of course.)  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah raced to Hitomi. She pushed her out of the way just in time. A burn mark appeared when normal ground used to be. "Sarah! Thank you."  
  
"No problem Hitomi." Sarah was sure what Van's reaction would be. And it wasn't going to be pretty. *You've really done it now Dilandau. You have just made your last mistake. * Sarah could not have been more right.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Van saw that the flame spewed towards Hitomi. His heart raced with terror and then sighed with relief as Sarah saved her. Finally it burned with anger as Van thought of Dilandau. Van charged Dilandau with more than just annoyance, because now Dilandau had truly done something terrible, He attacked now with raw screaming anger that burned.  
  
Van became as furious as the day he fought and killed all the dragonslayers. (Just without the black Escaflowne and the evil stuff.) Dilandau had finally gone too far. He HAD made his last mistake. And in one angry swipe to the shocked dilly, Van hit him in the same place that he was just hit. The heart. Dilly's suit poured blood, like a fountain of red.  
  
Dilandau's last words, from his bloody mouth were, "BURN VAN!" (Once a pyro, always a pyro. He has said it his whole life. Why not die saying it? I'm making him say that out of respect for his reputation.)  
  
Van felt relief. Dilandau was finally dead. He was finally able to rest easy. His home was safe. He smiled *No! * He thought and the smile he had died instantly. *Zaibach still stands. * Van saw that above him, the Zaibach floating fortress. Van decided to end Zaibach today. He took Escaflowne in dragon mode and rode off to the fortress. Alone.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ ____________  
  
Van's kinda creepy when he's mad...But believe me. What you saw wasn't mad. If Hitomi had actually gotten hurt...well let's just say, dilly would feel like that poke in the heart WAS tickling compared to what Van would do. Can you feel the climax coming? Please R&R! Read and Review!  
  
Yami: YAY! I CUT HIS HAIR!  
  
Sarah: Only a little.  
  
Yami /Hides scissors quickly/: Hehehe...yeah just a little.  
  
Me: YAMI! STOP PERSTERING ALLEN!  
  
Yami: How about Hitomi?  
  
Me: NO!  
  
Yami: Van?  
  
ME: NOOOOOOOOOOO!  
  
Yami: Dilly?  
  
Me: N....hmmm...uh....no....I guess not him either.  
  
Me: Now as you may note. I killed dilly. I'm sorry. It had to be done. For you dilandau lovers, just to be nice I was going to write a Dilly fiction. It was going to be a romance. But the thing is....I can't write it. I mean, who would you pair him with?! Let's go through the choices shall we?  
  
One: Hitomi.  
  
My reaction: /calmly...SCREAMS BLOODY MURDER/ AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I am going to personally whack anyone who puts Hitomi and dilly together. You see, I don't like fictions that pairs van w/ somebody else and Especially Visa versa. And now you are suggesting that she fall for the character I hate? .......NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Two: Marlene  
  
My reaction: /Blink blink/ one: that doesn't even make sense. Two, SHE'S DEAD!  
  
Three: Aries  
  
My reaction: /Same blink thing/ ......no.  
  
Four: Millerna  
  
My reaction: She has two guys after her already and now you want to make things more complex for her? No. Besides, Do you honestly think dilly and her could be a good pair?!  
  
Five: Merle  
  
My reaction: Now you're getting desperate. There's just One BIG problem. Merle loves Van. Dilly hates Van. It's not going to work. I could not write that fiction if I wanted to! Another thing. Do you honestly think that they would match well?  
  
Six: Yukari  
  
My reaction: No. Yukari is from earth. I am not going to put Yukari with somebody who she's never met. And just why do I want to make Yukari evil again?  
  
Seven: Added character  
  
My reaction: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I have enough trouble with the background, personality, story line, and family status of Sarah as it is!  
  
Final choice: Sarah  
  
My reaction: Me: what do you think Sarah? Sarah /Gags continually and finally throws up/: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!  
  
ME: That's what I thought. The same goes for me. Sarah technically IS me. But is not actually. I am not going to date dilly, even if it really isn't me. Sarah is the altar side of myself, which has some of my traits, but has awesome abilities and is in this story and all that. I am going to write a story about me in Escaflowne, but Sarah is the character of all my fictions, (That I have to change for each series or game I write about. Like her traits, abilities, last name and sometimes a little bit of her personality.) That represents me. I hope this isn't too confusing. I have a Sarah in Yu- gi-oh actually. One of the few things that is the same about her is her first name. But that's just about it. Sometimes her personality is carried over a bit and tweaked a little with her background. (She is still the story "incarnation" of me.) wow. I can't believe I babbled on like that! I'm sorry. I've never done that b4 I honestly didn't meant to. Please 4give me and R&R 


	14. Author's note of explanation

I am of the hope to write over 8 stories. I am working hard on the start of some and the end of others. Please be kind in being patient. I am working hard to just get all my work done OUTSIDE my computer. So I promise as a writer to do my best in writing and the commitment to it. I do enjoy doing this and would like to proceed in ALL my stories. I have put this in all the stories I am writing so all my readers will understand the fact that I have been a little too busy to write lately. I think you all have been awesome.  
  
My thanks,  
  
The Lady winged Knight S.  
  
P.s. ESCAFLOWNE RULES! 


	15. Vison

Hey there! Sorry I took a while. I have been so busy. I've posted a new story called "moon light on silver wings." For those who have read it, I'm sorry I'm taking forever. I babysat a kid for 8 yesterday, that and I had a ton of school. About a million other things too. I have been so sick! Ack! I could not breathe without hurting my throat. Well I feel well enough to do school according to Dr. Mom. So I guess I'll get out of bed and get my fingers working again. REVIEWS!  
  
Destiny7: Yup! Dilandau is dead. That whole thing with Hitomi was to give me a reason to kill him off. You all decided unanimously, that he should die and I wanted to anyway. LOL Xien is so funny. Once again, (For the millionth time.) YAY FRYING PANS! Oh! A fluffy review! How sweet! Please don't hate me till you've read the ending. I know you are going to. I do something Very mean. And because of nice people like you...I am considering changing it...But I can't. I have to finish. Thanx 4 Ur review.  
  
Lyra Eyota: I think I actually did something wrong. I did want Van to seem upset, but not THAT upset. I guess I know what you mean. The reason why Van does that though is because of how much he cares. He was really scared that Hitomi was going to get hurt. Dilandau has already taken so much from him and hurt so many people that Van wanted to stop him. About Hitomi not saving herself, I actually should have done that. The thing is, Van always saves Hitomi, but can't save himself. Hitomi always saves Van, but can't save herself! I made Van that upset for a reason. I needed a good excuse to kill off dilly. I'm glad you like it though. I have a confession to make. In the latter parts....Van goes postal. I'm being serious. It's part of everything that happens. You all are going to hate me. I can tell. I actually kinda want to change it. But I have to finish what I started. *Sigh * Please don't hate me till you've read the ending. Thanx 4 Ur review. Btw, I guess in this chapter, I'm giving Hitomi a chance to do a little butt kicking. Her and Sarah fighting....Hmm...this might get....Interesting?  
  
Avelyn Lauren: Ditto and here it is! Btw...I end up doing something very mean. Please don't hate me till you've read the ending. Thanx 4 Ur review.  
  
Sqeekers: Yeah. Allen would have gone into that tantrum, so I couldn't do that much and besides, there are people who would strangle me for cutting it all off. I did that for my own personal safety! I am glad you agree w/ me. I know that they have Celena/ Dilandau pairing. I DO find creepy beyond belief. Lol yeah! Being in love w/ yourself! You think it's romantic? Awesome! I'm glad it actually did sound sweet. Well....The biggest point I had about Van going to Zaibach....was he went alone. One to One million, basically. Not very good odds. *Sigh * Please don't hate me till you've read the ending. I do something cruel near the end. Thanx 4 Ur review.  
  
Animecrazed: Yes. Hitomi and dilandau is evil. I had to have an excuse to Kill Dilandau. Oh no! Does everyone think I over did it on Van's anger? I have a confession to make. In the latter parts....he goes postal. I'm being serious. It's part of everything that happens. You all are going to hate me. I can tell. I actually kinda want to change it. But I have to finish what I started. *Sigh * Please don't hate me till you've read the ending. Thanx 4 Ur review.  
  
In conclusion, I want to apologize for an evil plot twist I have. You people are so nice. I don't want to do this and yet I can't mess up the story now. I'm too far. I do promise one thing though. You are all going to like the ending. I should not tell you that. But cannot be that cruel to such nice people. You'll see what I mean reeeeal soon.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I don't even own money. So don't sue please. I do have possession of a Yami and Fluffy though. Yami and Fluff: NOW, WAIT A MINUTE!  
  
Sarah: This chapter is called: Deadly Visions. Me: /Starts whimpering/ I can feel stares. Very curious stares...that get angry. An angry mob of reviewers!  
  
Recap: Van saw that above him, the Zaibach floating fortress. Van decided to end Zaibach today. He took Escaflowne in dragon mode and rode off to the fortress. Alone.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Van leaned against a cold stone wall. Shackles clanged through black halls. He glanced at his surroundings. He nearly laughed at himself. *Van, van, van. You are such a Baka. How did I end up here huh? How did the mighty king, me, end up here? * Van sighed and recounted his actions.  
  
+ A little while before +  
  
Van was on Escaflowne, piloting towards the Zaibach fortress. Sarah and Hitomi yelled at him to stop. Van didn't listen. Sarah cursed under her breath. She didn't do that a lot, but lately things were NOT going her way. Sarah grabbed Hitomi's arm and dragged her to Angel. That was Sarah's Guymelef.  
  
"Come on Hitomi. We have to stop Van before he does something stupid." Sarah said in an angered voice. Van was like her little brother. Van did so many reckless things and it ticked Sarah off. But it was Van, after all.  
  
"Sarah. A Guymelef can only fit one person!" Hitomi protested as Sarah kept dragging her  
  
Sarah stopped. It was a very good point. That was a problem. Or was it? Sarah grinned.  
  
"Then fly." Sarah said hopping into Angel.  
  
Hitomi's eyes went wide. "What?!"  
  
"Fly. You have wings Hitomi. You can fly." Sarah said again.  
  
Hitomi stared at the ground. *She's right. I have wings. I can fly to the fortress. I have to For Van. *  
  
Sarah had fixed Hitomi's shirt with holes on the shoulder blades, so that if she ever needed to spread her wings she could. Hitomi took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Snow White and fluffy wings burst from her back. She still gasped at the site of them. She did what Sarah taught and began to move her wings. She rose up ward and her and Sarah flew towards the Zaibach fortress. Leaving two very stunned people behind them.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
+ Still awhile back +  
  
Sarah and Hitomi moved towards the floating building. There was a small welcoming committee to meet them, thanks to Van, who had gotten the attention of just about everyone else. Sarah landed to meet Guymelefs and Hitomi found a welcome wagon of soldiers. Sarah danced and slashed. She knocked most of the Guymelefs on their feet and others she managed to slice right through. Hitomi however had about ten soldiers surrounding her.  
  
*I was lucky to take up Karate and tae kwon do! * Hitomi thought and she went into a fighting stance. She began to sway back and forth. A guard charged her. She flipped back and landed a kick in his side. She pummeled his face with several small punches. In a daze the man fell back. The Soldiers there were amazed that the girl could fight back, but quickly came out of their shock. Another tried to grab Hitomi and succeeded in getting a swift kick to his shin. Two men charged her and Hitomi waited for just the right moment. When they almost had her, she jumped out of the way and they slammed into each other. Hitomi kicked another in his stomach. Finally the last soldier was defeated when she got a running start and landed a flying kick to his head.  
  
"Boo ya!" Hitomi cried out of excitement and triumph. Sarah jumped out of angel and hid the Guymelef. The two girls stealthily crept to find the young king.  
  
(Lyra Eyota! Are you Happy now? ^___^ That was for you! Yea haw! Hitomi 10 soldiers 0)  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
As they had been doing that, Van was trying to make his way through the mass of soldiers, about the odds of a million to one. It was not a very pretty sight. Van tried to break through, but more just kept coming. Van was getting tired and was dealing with his left side of soldiers when he forgot to protect himself and a commanding Guymelef tripped him. Needless to say, he lost. More needless stuff to say, the Zaibach people weren't happy with their new playmate. They dragged him to the dungeon and that's how Van got there.  
  
*And here I am again. In chains. Swell, just swell! This bites. Sure. I'm fine! Don't worry about me, I'll just make friends with the rats. * Van sighed and looked around disgusted. He waited there. Waiting for them to do what ever they had planned for him.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah and Hitomi continued moving. Sarah admired Van's work.  
  
"Well, there is one thing you can say about Van. He is quick and he's darn persistent." Sarah remarked.  
  
Hitomi and Sarah slid through cracks in wall and got through air ducts. Hitomi was able to find a shaft that led to the cells. Her and Sarah hurried along. Sarah remarked on Hitomi's ability to beat up the soldiers and asked when she had become a fighter. Hitomi explained that after she left Gaea, she took a course on self- defense. Sarah said Hitomi was pretty good and probably didn't need those sword lessons, Hitomi blushed.  
  
"Come on Hitomi!" Sarah said hurriedly, they were nearly there!  
  
"I'm trying!" Hitomi said a little irritated, she had been going as fast as she could, Sarah always seemed to move just a little faster than her.  
  
"Sarah? How did you get so fast?" Hitomi said breathless.  
  
"When you spend some of you time getting chased by dragons...you tent to learn to be quick, or you don't get the chance to." Sarah said facing forward.  
  
"Very funny." Hitomi said, thinking Sarah was joking.  
  
"I'm not kidding Hitomi."  
  
Hitomi winced. That was one thing that she was definitely glad wasn't on earth.  
  
#Minutes later #  
  
"Almost there Hitomi." Sarah whispered to her companion. Hitomi nodded. They were crawling through the last shaft to reach Van. They could see him now.  
  
*Van! * Hitomi thought. It was going to be okay! Or was it?  
  
(You should know me better than that by now. I never make things easy. And this is near the end. I am not going to just hand them a happy ending. No sir. Well, actually, I WOULD, except Yami is writing this chapter and has currently tied me up, gagged me, and thrown me in the closet. There fore...until I get out...uh...she gets to wreak havoc. How ever, Fluff is currently calling a locksmith, and I will be back in a few chapters. Please excuse my absence. )  
  
Hitomi had that feeling again. Something was coming. She could see it.  
  
FLASH  
  
Soldiers! Millions of soldiers are around some Guymelefs. Something is wrong. A malfunction! A thin strand of metal shoots by Surprising all the men. It blasts through the walls. One after another fell. It began to slow. But it charged on. As if seeking something. It met stone cold walls, in it's path was it's target, A faceless figure. As the claw came closer, the figure's face became clearer. Raven black hair of the midnight sky. A blood red shirt. Beige colored pants. Ruby red eyes. Hitomi shook with fear as she watched the metallic menace come closer to the boy. Icy cruel metal met with tanned skin. As red became a stream. Fear was written on his face, fear and Death.  
  
FLASH  
  
Back in the real world Hitomi began shake and then to fall.  
  
"Hitomi!" Sarah yelled. "Hitomi?! What's wrong?"  
  
"Van..." Hitomi managed before passing out.  
  
_________________________________________________________  
  
Me: YAMI! YEMME OUTTA HERE! SOMEBODY GET ME OUT OF THIS CLOSET!  
  
Fluff: I'm trying!  
  
Yami: I told you the story was too boring. I made it better.  
  
Van: BETTER?!  
  
Yami: She's going to get out of there soon, so while she's there I get to have some fun. MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  
  
Everyone but Yami: @.@U Somebody save us..../ Whimpers like little puppies/  
  
R&R please! While I try to get out of here! It'll get better when I get out and you need to review! WHERE IS THAT BAKA LOCKSMITH?!?!?!!?! HELP ME!!!!!!!!  
  
Sarah: Uh...help us..somebody..AHHHH! YAMI! GET AWAY!  
  
READ AND REVIEW FOR THE CONCLUSION! I'll do my best to get out of the closet and do my homework. Two seemingly impossible tasks. Bye. 


	16. Part one: Start the ending

Sorry I took forever! I have once again been busy and I'm STILL sick. And I'm STILL waiting for that locksmith! But Yami says I can take the reviews. (Sarcastically) Gee! Thanks Yami! Yami: watch it! You're lucky I'm letting you do this much! Me: Oh sure! Beaten by my own Yami....*Sigh * Well let's get those reviews huh? 50 REVIEWS! *Does victory dance * YA HOO! I luv you all... ^___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________^  
  
Chicken stars: Me too! Baka school work! Lol I'm glad to hear from you...sorry I took a while. ^^  
  
Dawn and dusk: You're so nice! ^____________^ Here's another cookie! Sorry about the cliffy! Here's the update. Thank you so much for your review! *Blush * Aww....you luv my fics? *Hugs dawn and dusk * Thanks! *Blushes really badly *  
  
Sqeekers: I'm glad to hear you don't hate me sqeekers! ^^ I'm still in the Baka closet. -_-' Yes. Scaaaaary vision! AH! Here's the update. BAD YAMI! I'm glad you find it entertaining. Yami adds a twist to the plot very soon....I'M STILL TRYING TO GET OUT THOUGH! I WANT TO GET OUT BEFORE SHE DOES IT! *Whimpers * Poor Hitomi and Van. Yami: MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Me: Oh shut up Yami!  
  
Dunk-Dunk: Thanks! I think this is your first review on this story....so here's a cookie! I'm glad you can't wait and now you don't have to! ^_^  
  
Avelyn Lauren: Yami: YA HOO! YOU LIKE ME! Me: *Ahem! * Yes I know Yami means Dark. I got Yami from Yu-gi-oh kinda...Yami and fluff were the result of a cross between the Idea of a Yami and Shoulder angel and shoulder devil...Ya know...I am no Hikari anyway! Hikari of course, to the people who are reading this, besides Avelyn Lauren, It means light. Here's the next chappy! It's nice to hear from you! ^_^  
  
KuraYami Robe: Yes! I do like your new name....It's kewl. You are Animecrazed! YAY! Nice to hear from you! *Gives cookie * Sorry you couldn't get the movie and I'm glad you liked the chapter. I have seen the movie and it's just plain Bizarre. @.@ Escaflowne is freakish. Hitomi looks different and They have magic! It's kinda...A lot more bloodyish if you understand. Eww...The blood pact thing is a little freakier. Here's my story! Enjoy!  
  
Lyra Eyota: Glad you enjoyed poor Van's depression! I'm kidding! I'm glad that you did find it funny though. I was going towards that a little. I'm glad it made your day to see Hitomi's abilities in battle. Lol hehehe....she does have clause to be a little girlish when it come to battle though. Visions and people hit poor Hitomi so often. I mean she actually died in the series TWICE! Yikes! But it was pretty kewl...^^U. Anyway, here's the next chapter! Yes...lot's of complications. Postal Van...I blame Yami! Yami: He's cool when he's angry! Me: @.@U I luv getting reviews from you! Thank you!  
  
Destiny7: No. I would kill Yami if she did that. But I want to kill her for what she IS going to do anyway. She wouldn't kill Van. We all agree that Van is our favorite character. Van: *Blush * Me: This is going to get good. I actually both hate and love dramatic and seemingly hopeless scenes. It's what I believe I'm best at. ^_^ Even though I always end up crying. I glad you don't hate me. ^__________________________^ I am happy to hear that. I know you are very nice. I just know that everyone has his or her limits! ^_^ I would defend him to the death too. I want to change it, but you have NO Idea what's actually going on. (And I'm STILL in the CLOSET!) Yami said she didn't want ANYBODY to figure it out. No one has. Yami: MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Me: *Powers up her own super sword * It's not Hitomi that needs comforting in this story...It's some one else....that's part of the plot twist. It's downright evil. Yami...You're so cruel....LEMME OUT OUTTA THIS BAKA CLOSET! Yami: Thank you and No. MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Me: -_-' She's practicing her villain laugh. *Sigh *  
  
Disclaimer: Yami: I own Escaflowne because I say so, right boys? Bandai: Yes ma' ma! (I didn't spell mama if that's what you're thinking.)  
  
Sarah: *Sigh * This chapter is called...Yami? Do I have to?  
  
Yami: YES!  
  
Sarah: *Anime falls and sweat drops * Ok! It's called: Near Death...comes too close for Life. *Mutters * It would never have gotten this bad with L.W.K.  
  
Yami: WHAT?!  
  
Sarah: Nothing!  
  
Recap:(After her vision in the last chapter)  
  
in the real world Hitomi began shake and then to fall.  
  
"Hitomi!" Sarah yelled. "Hitomi?! What's wrong?"  
  
"Van..." Hitomi managed before passing out.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah's POV:  
  
Sarah caught Hitomi when she fell. Sarah heard he last words before passing out. Van. That was her last word. Sarah could plainly tell that Hitomi had just had a vision. She needed to wake Hitomi up and ask her what happened. But Sarah was afraid of what she would hear. It was plain that Hitomi didn't pass out if it was good news! The other thing was, it was about Van. Whatever was going to happen wouldn't be good. Hitomi had seen bad visions...but Sarah could tell that this beat them all. Sarah had to know though. She had to do something if it was that bad. She proceeded to shake Hitomi.  
  
After a few good shakes, Hitomi did awaken. Sarah smiled, but then she remembered why she was waking Hitomi up in the first place.  
  
"Hitomi....I know you had a vision...what did you see? What's this about Van?" Sarah said as calmly as possible.  
  
Hitomi began to shake in fear. But she answered anyway.  
  
"I saw soldiers, around Guymelefs. They were talking. Then a Guymelef had a malfunction. It accidentally shot a crima claw."  
  
Sarah watched Hitomi tense. Her deep emerald eyes swirled with worry.  
  
*A malfunction with a crima claw? * Sarah waited for Hitomi to finish.  
  
"The crima claw tore through the walls and began to stop, just before it hit a person. They died." Hitomi finished and looked at the ground to escape Sarah's gaze.  
  
Sarah could almost feel Hitomi's vision as she spoke. Sarah instantly knew who the person was. It could be no one else.  
  
"Van."  
  
Hitomi nodded, mute from her fear.  
  
"We have to do something! How about creating a diversion that'll stop the malfunction from taking place?" Sarah said calmly, she was steeling herself to the goal ahead. She had always been good under pressure.  
  
"There are too many soldiers for you to do that." Hitomi stated.  
  
"Then I guess...we just have to get Van out of harms way." Sarah said.  
  
"I'll go and look for the keys I guess." Sarah said this with little certainty because it would be like finding a needle in four sectors of haystacks! Not good odds if you're being realistic. Not as bad as Van getting through Zaibach, but not far off.  
  
"Do you think you can...make it?" Hitomi said fear evident in her voice.  
  
Sarah sighed. "I have to. For Van." She then motioned at the chained boy to emphasize her point.  
  
Hitomi nodded and with out another word, Sarah disappeared into the fortress.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi watched Sarah go. She began to worry. Sarah had no idea who she was looking for. Of course Hitomi tried to keep a perspective of hope, but it didn't help much.  
  
Actually, she was in the midst of a debate with herself, when she saw another vision.  
  
FLASH  
  
Sarah came sprinting in the room with a key. She found Hitomi sobbing. Why? Hitomi watched the vision version of herself and Sarah. Sarah asked Hitomi why she was crying. Hitomi pointed to a figure.  
  
He was stained crimson and his head hung low. A metal pole seemed to disappear into the darkness.  
  
He was Dead. Sarah couldn't make it in time. She couldn't save Van.  
  
FLASH  
  
Hitomi knew now what she had to do. There was no question left in her mind. She turned to the boy she loved. And she ran to him, embracing him.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi had just run up to Van and embraced him. (Yeah. I know. I'm Ms. Restate the obvious) Needless to say, Van was more than a little surprised. I mean, he didn't even know Hitomi was here, and now she had just ran up to him and hugged him? Not that he didn't want her to...it's just not what he expected. After Van got out of his shock, he wanted to hug her back. But he couldn't really move his arms. He looked up and it was then when he remembered where on Gaea he was. He silently cursed his restrains. Here Hitomi was, hugging him. And now that she was, he couldn't do anything!  
  
*This must be a new type of torture... *  
  
Van did his best to return the gesture. He could smell the flower scent in her hair from her closeness. He felt her gentle embrace, that seemed just a little (But not little for long) tight. Van was enjoying her hug...it's just...He had to know something.  
  
"Uh...Hitomi? Why are you...doing this?" Van said, disturbed with himself for breaking the peaceful silence.  
  
Hitomi couldn't make herself look at Van at that moment.  
  
"I....Can't tell you...If I told you...you wouldn't let me..." She managed and then she tightened her hold on him, pressing herself into him. (But not too hard, yet...)  
  
Van began to feel his shirt being dampened by Hitomi's silent tears. She shook from her quiet sobs. For the second time Van cursed his chains. He not only wanted to return the loving embrace, but now he wanted to comfort her. What's happening? One minute she's not there, she ran up started hugging him and now she's crying?  
  
What in Gaea in going on? I wouldn't let her? Why are you crying? Why wouldn't I let you hug me? I...is that possible? Why Hitomi? Why? *  
  
"Hitomi..." Van murmured quietly.  
  
Hitomi still couldn't look at Van, but she did have something to say.  
  
"Van...I-I wanted to...say good-bye." Hitomi said quietly, unable to get her meaning out any blunter than that.  
  
"You're going back to the mystic moon?" Van asked, not understanding. (I mean, would you? That's pretty vague.)  
  
"No..." Hitomi managed. "Not like that..." Hitomi's tears continued.  
  
"Hitomi?"  
  
"I'm going to...miss you Van." Hitomi croaked.  
  
"Huh?" Van was about to ask her another question, when a sound like gunfire rang out. People screamed. Van could see that from a far off room, (Through glass) That a crima claw was being fired. And what was worse is that the thing was coming strait at him! Or to be more precise, Hitomi.  
  
Van's maroon eyes went wide.  
  
"Hitomi! Move!" Van yelled in desperation.  
  
For once Hitomi did look up at Van. Hitomi's deep green eyes had never been more serious. Hitomi looked him in the eyes and shook her head.  
  
Van saw her shake her head and then he finally understood. He knew what she meant. He understood what she was doing. He looked at her terrified for her sake.  
  
Hitomi's clutch on Van had gotten so tight that it began to hurt. Hitomi's eyes were a sea of fear. Her eyes were still shining from the salty steams. She bit her lip and waited for the impact.  
  
A cold metal claw tore through soft white skin.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
(I was tempted to just leave it right there and put so much suspense that it would make you all desperate for the next part, but The L.W.K WOULD kill me for that. *Sigh * ---Yami)  
  
Van watched Hitomi's eyes widen with pain. A shock surged through her and he could feel it. The crima claw whipped back from Hitomi, as if satisfied that it had hit a target. Hitomi's body went limp. Her grasp began to loosen. She let go from the pain. She fell to the floor.  
  
"HITOMI!" Van screamed. (A Guy's scream. Not a girl's scream.)  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah was having one heck of a time finding a key with 250 guards to search. Even with her skills, that was one disturbing feat. She had to race through Zaibach and at the 50th guard, (even though she didn't know that cause she had lost count) She FINALLY found the %$#@ Key. It had been a bit much for her. Now that she had the darn thing, she had to race back to Van. She had a gut feeling that she wasn't going to make it though, but she dismissed it as simple worry.  
  
Her feet ached, her sides ached, and her heart ached. She pressed on though, as if being chased by hell fire.  
  
*I just HAVE to make it! If I don't...Van is gonna die. He...But...would she? Then again, that would be just like her. WAIT! What am I doing? I have to run! I don't have time to worry! *  
  
She ran even faster, as though she was flying through the halls. Sarah reached the door and sprinted in. She expected the hopeful face of Hitomi or a jump for joy. Or something at least!  
  
She met with a sight that brought tears to her crimson eyes.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah looked stunned. She went over to Van and unlocked the chains quickly. Sarah seemed to disappear so Van could be alone with Hitomi.  
  
Van fell on his knees and went to Hitomi. He knelt over her crumpled figure. A small dark red pool was around her.  
  
*Is she? * Hitomi turned to Van.  
  
"V-van?"  
  
"Hitomi! It's okay...I'm here."  
  
"Van...I'm so c-cold..." Hitomi shook from the icy floor.  
  
Van picked up Hitomi and tried to envelop her in his arms. He was able to hold her now and it was going to be okay. It had to be okay. He held her carefully and mindfully of her pain. Her head rested on his shoulder and he had his arms around her back. Van felt something warm and sticky on his gloves. He didn't have to see it to know what it was. It was blood, Her blood. It horrified him.  
  
"V-van?"  
  
"Hitomi?"  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I....I'm sorry that...I'm leaving you."  
  
"H-Hitomi..." Van's voice shook.  
  
"You don't have to be sorry. You're going to be okay. We'll find some one who can help you." Van said trying to hold back the pain in his voice. He said those words for not only Hitomi's comfort, but for his own.  
  
"I was really glad to have met you...Van."  
  
"M-Me too Hitomi..." Van's voice was cracking...He could barely say anything above a hoarse whisper.  
  
*I don't have any reason not to tell him. I guess I'll tell him now. I want to say before... * Hitomi thought.  
  
"Van...?"  
  
"Yes Hitomi?"  
  
"I need to tell you something..."  
  
(Me: I'M FINALLY FREE! I'M OUT OF THE CLOSET! WHAT? Hitomi is....I'M GONNA KILL YOU YAMI! Yami: HELP! Fluff: I guess I'll take over. Oh boy. )  
  
"What's that?" Van said, still quiet.  
  
"I-I-I....I love you."  
  
Van's eyes went wide. Tears fell down his face from his ruby colored eyes.  
  
"I love you too Hitomi." He said through his tears.  
  
Van pulled away slightly from Hitomi and looked in her eyes. They found themselves coming closer to each other. They kissed. Hitomi felt Van's lips on hers. They were so warm and comforting. It was a passionate kiss, but gentle. All pain and sorrow melted away from thought. Van held her closer. Hitomi's arms were around his neck. Everything they felt for each other was finally expressed. Everything in the world seemed to disappear. All that existed to the pair were themselves and the kiss. It lasted for an eternity and a second. But even if death is pushed to the side, it still exists.  
  
Hitomi felt herself being ripped away from the world. Ripped away from life. She was trying to return Van's kiss, but she felt weak. She was barely even returning it now. Everything got hazy. It all was disappearing. Everything was gone except Van. (That rhymes! Yami: Oh shut up! Me: DIE! Yami: YIPE!)  
  
Now even Van was hazy. Everything finally went completely black.  
  
(YAMI! I'M GOING TO GET YOU! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!)  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Van eventually noticed that Hitomi wasn't returning his kiss. What was happening? Was she...? Van pulled back...Hitomi's eyes were closed. She wasn't breathing. She was dead. Hitomi was dead. Van's mind couldn't process that. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be!  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah was in the next room. She had leaned her back against the wall and slowly allowed her self to slip to the floor.  
  
*Hitomi... *  
  
Sarah had been taught all her life that soldiers and commanders weren't allowed to cry over the dead. If it was some one you knew well or they were dear to you, or even close to a person that WAS dear to you, You were to shed a single tear out of respect. The only other case is if they were your husband (Or wife). But for once in her life, Sarah broke the code of forbidden tears, and cried over her fallen friend.  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
Me: I'm SO sorry to end it there! I must continue! You see...The stupid story thing says it's getting to big for a chapter. I will start writing the next chapter soon! This one took me all day though! Ack.  
  
Yami: *Walks in * Hey ther...*Sees me * AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! *Flees in terror *  
  
Me: DIE YOU EVIL YAMI! YOU'RE AS BAD AS Y. MARIK OFF YU-GI-OH!  
  
Sarah: *Weeping * Hitomi...  
  
Van: *Stunned *  
  
Hitomi: *not doing anything. Duh! *  
  
Fluff: Don't worry. The writer is pretty smart. We'll get some damage control in soon.  
  
Dornkirk: HEY YA! LET'S PAR-TAY!  
  
Everyone 'cept Hitomi: @.@U  
  
Please R&R and don't kill me, I'm getting to it. 


	17. Sarah's best hour

Hi everyone! I'm Sorry about that very evil cliffhanger. It's my computer's fault! Not mine! I am doing DAMAGE control for my Yami. I plan to get Yami for this....*Grins evilly * I said I was NO hikari! MUWAHAHAHAHA! *Coughs * Sorry about that. I think I have listened to Yami to long. Btw I would NEVER end a story like that! I would be banging my head against the wall and I don't mean the song! I did give you all warnings to read this till the very end. Reviews:  
  
Destiny7: Me too! *Cries * (I am being serious. Your review made me cry. You voice sorrow so well.) Anaiya: NOT YET! (I'm saying that to her.) SHE AS HECK IS NOT A FALLEN ANGEL YET! KEEP READING! Cereya: I'm SO sorry! Please continue to read! I'm not done yet! I WILL NOT LET YAMI WIN! You mother will be...I can't say! AW MAN! Xien: NOT IF I CAN HELP IT! Rian: Yes....poor girl. Teya: So true...That's what I gave her. *Sad smile * Tenks: NO REGETS! SHE IS NOT...Oh Kuso! I can't tell you what's really going on. NO! Not the poem....(This is when I REALLY started to bawl my eyes out.) WAH! *Cries * So beautiful. Kudos to you destiny7. I thank you and your companions for your support and opinions. You have helped me to write. ^_^ I have an ending that you will enjoy, but this is all I can say.  
  
Yami kura robe: Yeah. I don't like blood a whole lot. Not actually...well yes...but....keep reading! Yes Yami is evil! Hehehe I think I am too. Yes chocolate is so great and evil too. ^_^ Here is more of the story.  
  
Dunk-Dunk: Well, she won't bloody...then again...AW HECK! Just keep reading. I did say DAMAGE CONTROL! ^_^ I wanted to see everyone's reaction ^_^U Please don't be upset. I would kick myself forever for this if I ended it like that. Yes. Hitomi DID Die. I will show you in this chapter one thing that EVERY ONE FORGOT! There is one character you didn't take into account and you will see VERY soon. Here it is.  
  
Dawn and dusk: I WAS hoping you'd say that. I do have to admit I like surprising people. ^_^U I am going to surprise you again by the ending! ^_______________^ So am I! I'm gonna kill Yami for that. Yes she does...MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I will think of that...^_~ hehehehe....Here's my controlled chapter.  
  
Lyra Eyota: B4 I reply, I want to say that, now can you see why van just might have a reason to go postal? *Sad smile * I'm glad you can't be mad at me. Thank you for your respect and not strangling me. I have a mix of the two methods. I plan SOME major plot points, not all of them. I end up have some creativity moments that way, but it's not too tedious. And it helps it from getting boring cause you don't know exactly how you are going to write. Note: This happened with this story. Not all the stories I write. I am very weird in writing, but I guess it's what people call being unique. I luv shoulder angel and shoulder devil. It gets pretty funny when people do that. ^_^ I saw it too. I luv that part. I said you would LIKE the ending. Remember that. I just had to make them say it. I wanted a good way for them to tell each other, not an accident. Not just out of the blue.  
  
I can no longer torture you guys....Here ya go! One more thing, Haven't you guys even been curious as to stuff like: Who's Erica? Why did Sarah know that song? Where are the forest knights now? And just what else can Sarah do anyway? ^_^ That last one is something you guys should have been paying attention to. Hehehe...  
  
Sarah *Beaming *: This chapter is called: Wings in the light or Sarah's finest hour. (The next to ending chapter! WOW!)  
  
Recap: Sarah broke the code of forbidden tears, and cried over her fallen friend. (So sad! Didn't you people think that was sad?)  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Van's POV  
  
Van was stunned. It was like some one had pulled his heart out and he had just stood there. He felt empty. As if the world...was just a void of pain. Some times the worst pain is of tears that cannot fall, The kind that knows it is not enough to show the sorrow. Van screamed inwardly to wake up. It was a dream. It had to be.  
  
*This is not real. It ISN'T real! She can't be... *  
  
But his mind knew the truth. This was no dream. It was No nightmare. He would not awaken to see her face smiling at him. She was dead. Zaibach had managed to take everything from him. It had taken Balgus, Fanelia, His mother, his father, and His brother. And now the one he loved. Van could feel anger rise through him. He had heard of bind fury of warriors before, and even though he thought felt it, but he was wrong. He had never been so mad in his life. It coursed through him like the blood in his veins. Zaibach had now taken everything that he had ever cared for. It was the fault of these heartless soldiers that had caused all this. Van could only feel pain. (I must have been really depressed when I thought of this, but it makes sense for him to be this mad that she is dead. I mean Geez...poor guy. Sorry people...I am being I.C. though. I.C. = In character.) He would make Zaibach feel his pain for this. Zaibach would pay for Hitomi's suffering. He stood and walked away with eyes watching him.  
  
(Van actually acts like that and you all know it! So don't get mad please! ^^U Remember 15? Yeah...the killing. He gets that mad. So....blame the makers! Yami: Ya know...That's so lame. Me: Grr...DIE!)  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah's POV  
  
Sarah watched Van leave the room.  
  
*What the?! *  
  
Soldiers were coming at Van, but were stupid enough to get close. Van didn't have any problem greeting his new friends. His eyes were no longer calm and peaceful, but orbs of flame. Sarah called his name, but he didn't hear. She even tried to grab him, but it didn't work. (I can almost not bare to do this. I mean, I'm doing this to Van! Ack! *Rocks back and forth * It's all for a good reason. It's all for a purpose.)  
  
*Van. Even through all this, I honestly can't blame you. I feel like doing that too. ARG! What should I do? This has got to be a nightmare! *  
  
Sarah found herself walking back to the room where Van was held when they found him. Hitomi's figure was still lying on the ground.  
  
"Why? Why did this happen? It can't end this way! I...what happened to love conquers all? I wish that I could do something. I wish that Hitomi could come back." (She just said the magic words! I wish! Wait...that's genies and fairy godparents. Oh well! I'll take it anyway!)  
  
Sarah's thought's turned to Hitomi's pendant.  
  
*What if it could intensify my healing? Or help me reach Hitomi? If only it were possible... *  
  
Hitomi's pendant started to hum and then to glow. Sarah turned to it and watched it. It now was floating in mid air. Something was calling her. It was a voice. This is what it said:  
  
"Wanderer of the forest, we have heard you wish for peace. We will give you our power. We can only give so much, for your request is great. And one warning is given. You have but one chance. Now go. Time is short young one."  
  
Sarah understood what she had to do. She focused the energy in her hands again and the familiar blue glow appeared. She walked over to Hitomi and grasped the floating pendant in her hand. The gentle glow of pink left the pendant, but the blue glow of Sarah's hands turned a violet color. Sarah felt a new energy surge through her palms. She took a deep breath, propped Hitomi up and pressed her hands on the bloody wound. She felt a flash and her eyesight left her. She blacked out.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah groaned. She began to awaken. She found herself in a land with people. Hundreds of people all walking in a thick line. It wasn't strait by any means. Some of them were laughing and others were crying. They were all walking to a meadow with hundreds of flowers. It was a place which seemed sad and scary and yet, peaceful and happy. Sarah scanned the strange crowd wondering where she was. Her eyes darted past an unmistakable figure. A green eyed girl. Sarah jumped up and nearly yelped in surprise. She raced toward the crowd. She shoved people out of her way. She didn't care about being polite now, she had to reach her!  
  
"Hitomi!" Hitomi didn't answer.  
  
Sarah finally caught up to the girl. She looked like she was in a trance. Sarah shook her in desperation. Hitomi looked like she had just woken up. Hitomi looked happy and then sad, as if realizing something.  
  
"Sarah! You're here too? I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm happy to see you though."  
  
"No Hitomi. I'm here to bring you back. Come on."  
  
"Bring me back? But why?"  
  
"Why?! What in Gaea do you mean why?!"  
  
"This is eternal peace Sarah." Hitomi talked like she was brain washed.  
  
" What?! Oh really? What about Van?" Sarah said with anger.  
  
Hitomi looked hurt and Almost in pain.  
  
"I thought so. Come on Hitomi! Come with me! You need to come back. Van needs you."  
  
"Sarah...I don't have any strength left. I can't make it back." Hitomi looked at the ground and felt tears burning her eyes. She did want to go back more than anything. She felt Van needing her, but she tired to push it away so she wouldn't feel the pain.  
  
"Then lean on me Hitomi. I'll drag you all the way if I have to." Sarah said jokingly (On that dragging part.) with a small smile.  
  
Hitomi nodded and began to walk away from the crowd. The farther they got, the weaker Hitomi seemed. They saw a light up ahead and moved toward it. It was a gate to the land of the living. Hitomi could feel that Van was beyond there. As soon as she stepped toward it, she stumbled. Sarah took Hitomi's arm and let her lean on her as she promised. The gate never REALLY looked any closer, though Sarah could tell they were making progress. They walked in silent understanding of each other. (Ya know, gal pals. ^_^ Girl friends...And I don't mean Yuri. -_-')  
  
When they had gotten close, Hitomi's legs gave way and she fell. Sarah didn't let this stop them though. Sarah immediately picked Hitomi up and started to carry her. If she could carry Van when he was unconscious, she could do this. Hitomi saw Sarah's determination and saw what a great friend Sarah had truly been. Sarah had guarded her like her own sister. Though Hitomi didn't know something else that Sarah had done for her. That was for Sarah to put aside her own feelings. Sarah kept moving and then they were almost to the gate, just one thing. The gate was over ten feet off the ground. They only way in, was up.  
  
"Do you think you can fly up there with me in your arms?"  
  
Sarah frowned and sadly shook her head. "No. I don't have the strength. I think it might be a little tricky to fly myself up there. I used a lot of energy coming here in the first place and after getting you...I don't think I have much left."  
  
"Then what do we do?"  
  
"You have to fly yourself up there."  
  
"What?! But I'm too weak to walk. How can I fly?"  
  
"Hitomi...I don't know...But you have to. I think you have more power than you realize. Your love for Van helped stop a war and now you're gonna give up because of a floating piece of wood?" Sarah spoke with truth because she truly believed that it could be done.  
  
"But I..."  
  
"Hitomi. I'll be there for you. I'll help you and I'll hold your hand. I have managed to help you this far and I can't let you give up now. But just cause I can't carry you doesn't mean I can't be there. I'll always be your friend Hitomi." (Repeat after me: Aww... Very good class! ^_^)  
  
Hitomi nodded and began to stand. Sarah was with her to support her like she promised. Hitomi took a deep breath and spread her wings. Her back felt like it was on fire from the strength it didn't want to use. Hitomi stood tall and Sarah smiled at her friend and grabbed her hand. Sarah spread her wings and together the two angels rose upward.  
  
*I'm coming Van! I'm coming. *  
  
Just before the gate shut the two entered. It sealed behind them.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Hitomi and Sarah awoke to the Zaibach fortress. Hitomi's wounds instantly vanished and the bloodstains were gone. They got up and began to race to find Van. Who was currently busy but not by far. Most of the soldiers were getting smarter it seemed. Still a few dared to face the angered warrior. (I hate doing that to Van. Please don't kill me Van lovers. I bring this ending as a peace offering. I am of your clan.) Sarah dragged the girl through the rooms. Sarah could feel excitement of the fact that she had done it. Hitomi was okay. Van of course wasn't in on this little update on their situation and continued his revenge driven fury. Hitomi stepped into the room and saw Van. She could almost feel his sorrow. In fact, she did. She felt the same when she though she lost him. Hitomi did the one thing that turned the whole situation around.  
  
"Van!"  
  
Van was above them and he spun around as quickly as lightning to the sound.  
  
*That voice. It can't be. *  
  
Hitomi smiled wide. Van stared in disbelief. There she was. She was darn confusing! Wait! Hitomi's okay! Yippee! (No he didn't think that or say that. That's me in narration.)  
  
"H-Hitomi? Are you really?"  
  
Hitomi nodded and smiled wider. They were both crying tears of joy. Van burst his shirt and flew down to his beloved with his snow-white wings. They embraced. He could hold her again. His pain and anger vanished. His hard fiery eyes were now the gentle ruby orbs that they had always been when she was near or long ago when he was a child. The nightmare had become a beautiful dream. But it wasn't quite finished. There was one more thing. The leader of Zaibach!  
  
_______________________________________________________  
  
Me: so do you like me again? Please say yes. I am nearly done and you all get a storybook ending. I just had to finish by today. One more thing...Hehehehehe....oh Yami?  
  
Yami: Y-yeah?  
  
Me: Come here... Yami: O...K... *Walks over *  
  
Me: *Ties Yami to chair and tapes eyes open * YOU MUST PAY! *Pops Barney the dinosaur reruns in v.c.r and it appears on giant screen. *  
  
Yami: NO! HELP ME! IT'S INHUMANE!  
  
Me: Nobody writes my story but me! AND NOBODY IS GONNA GIVE THIS FICTION A SAD ENDING!  
  
Yami: *Cries *  
  
I got her. She can't stand singing dinosaurs and cutesy shows.  
  
Fluff: I love them! I luv you! You luv me!  
  
Everyone: @.@U  
  
The ending chapter is coming as soon as I can write. It's gonna be short. But you all will like it VERY much. I just have to get off and I can't bear to torture you guys another day. Please continue reading and R&R. I wanna know if you liked how I turned it around. 


	18. The final Chapter this is the end

Okay guys. I'm back. It took me forever because I'm STILL sick and it's taking a toll on me. I've been sick for a month now, but the doctors say it may take even longer. ACK! I don't mind so much, (Aside being sick for a month) it's just the fact that I wake up gasping for air. I guess I'm going off on a tangent. I'm Sorry. You want the story, Not me taking about my Ideas or problems. Here ya go, but first, reviews! Btw I once again, thank all of you for sticking with me and reviewing. I wouldn't have the inspiration (Or the guilt complex) To finish this without you.  
  
Sqeekers: Sorry I missed your review on 16. I'll reply to it now. Yeah. It was a tear jerkier huh? *Sniff* I said I hate and love dramatic death scenes. Romance? I chose Barney and blues clues. MUWAHAHAHAHA! She can't stand those kiddy shows *Evil smile *. This is the conclusion of this story. The very end of "The return of the mystic girl." *Sniff* One minute you're writing the intro and the next it's the ending. They write out so fast. Lol. Yami: I beg of you, LET ME OUT OF THIS CHAIR! Me: As soon as I finish so you can't mess it up. I'm glad you liked it all the same. ^_^ Cookie for you! *Gives cookie*  
  
Sqeekers: Here's for the Review on 17. Sarah: *Blush* Oh gee.......Thanks. Me: lol first time I saw the mighty Sarah blush so badly. *Snaps picture* Yami: My mind is turning to mush........AHHHHH! Me: Only one more chapter my dark. I hope you learned your lesson. Yami: Sure have! *Crosses fingers behind back* Me: -_-' I saw that. Thanks. You're so nice sqeekers. *Blush* I'm awesome? *Hugs sqeekers* Oh here you go, You get an Extra cookie. ^_^ Sarah: *Turns beat red* thanks. Me: Dude! Can a person actually get any redder? Here's the conclusion! ^_^  
  
KuraYami Robe: Yes I would like help killing Yami. Yami: You can't kill me! I'm your dark side and I help you write angst when you need to, or else your story would be boring. Me: Darn it! Oh well.....I resent that boring remark Yami! Yep, Hitomi is okay! I couldn't let Yami ruin it. Here's some chocolate! *Gives you econo size chocolate bar*  
  
Lyra Eyota: Yup. Postal. Yeah, I thought the "I will protect her" thing was sweet. Scary, but sweet. I'm glad it was appreciated and that it made sense. I'm glad it was touching when Sarah cried. (I was hoping it would be sweet.) The forbidden tears code of the knights made it more real? I'm glad you think so. ^_^ *Sniff* The voice? Well, the thing is I don't really know for sure. I was thinking it could be the voice of the fates or the Atlantis thing. Then there was the Idea that most made sense to me, (Go figure.......I dunno why.) My other Idea was that it was the souls of the draconians lending their last power to Sarah. I just never decided. I think I'm gonna go with that last one though. Yami's punishment ends after this chapter so they can't mess it up. Did you say he? I'm a girl. Therefore my Yami is a she. Yami: @.@U Yeah. I'm a girl. I'M NOT A GUY. I wouldn't be trying to sneak into Van's dressing room if I were a guy. Me: Yami! *Hands you a cookie* Thanks for sticking it out with me Lyra. ^_^  
  
Dunk-Dunk: Yup! You're welcome. Here it is. And cookie for you *Hands you a cookie* Thanks for reviewing.  
  
Destiny7: lol YAY! What witch? Oh well, YAY anyway! Yes! The angel has returned! Yes Cereya, your mom is alive. Lol yes it is good to know tenks. Rian: Yup. Hitomi is going to survive! Xien: lol I luv your character. ^_^ Okay! Yes.....those three......@.@U *Steps waaaaaay back* Here's the next chapter. *Gives destiny7 a cookie and gives one to everyone else* Thank you especially. I know I've said it b4, but honestly I couldn't have writing this fiction with out help and encouragement and I owe a lot of that to you. Thank you for sticking with me and being so nice. (And making me laugh! lol) ^_^  
  
Dawn and dusk: ^_^ Thanks for the upbeat review! Here it is. *Gives you candy since all the cookies are gone and the chocolate bars are.....being.......used.* Thanks for your encouragement!  
  
Disclaimer: These things are boring. I own nothing, I plan to own nothing. I am not second in line to be manager. This would be a movie if I owned the company. I don't. Plain and simple.  
  
Recap: Van burst his shirt and flew down to his beloved with his snow-white wings. They embraced. He could hold her again. His pain and anger vanished. His hard fiery eyes were now the gentle ruby orbs that they had always been when she was near or long ago when he was a child. The nightmare had become a beautiful dream.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
Sarah saw the two embrace and blushed. She adverted her eyes from her two friends. Sarah felt like she didn't quite belong in this room.  
  
*Is it hot in here or is it just them? * Sarah thought to her self with a chuckle.  
  
Van and Hitomi just stood there holding on to each other never wanting to let go. (By the way, these two pick up a more playful attitude with each other when everything gets better. They haven't gotten much time to themselves I guess. I haven't given Hitomi the attitude I wanted her to have. I wanted her to be a little looser like Sarah. I don't think I did this as well as I wanted.) After a good long time of embracing from Hitomi and Van, Sarah thought it was time to speak up.  
  
"Ya know, I hate to ruin the mood and interrupt, but if you'll notice the surroundings, we ARE in a Zaibach fortress and their leader is still sitting on his throne. I don't mean to sound like an annoying little kid but, can we please get going?"  
  
Hitomi and Van blushed Van spoke up in a serious voice,  
  
"You're right Sarah. Let's get going."  
  
Sarah and Van lead the way because they were equipped with swords and were wearing armor, Hitomi followed behind them. They took some time heading through the corridors. Finally after about a hour of searching they came opon a dome. It was fill with a ominous silence like that of a mechanical tomb. A cold and solemn loneliness filled the air. Finally a voice pierced the silence. (Please tell me if the way I solve the Zaibach problem is stupid. It's so anticlimactic.)  
  
"Welcome white dragon, lady dragon and mystic seer." A machine like Dornkirk's held a old man. Aged and yet not as old as dorny. (DORNY! lol)  
  
Van and Sarah glared in response.  
  
"I see you have come to eliminate me."  
  
Sarah and Van nodded and bean to unsheathe their swords. Something didn't feel quite right and Hitomi could tell. As if on qui a person leaped from the shadows. It was a Stealth soldier. They wore all black with a Zaibach insignia on their right shoulder. A smile appeared on the warrior's face. The soldier dove for Van. They clashed swords. Right, left, block, attack. The warrior was well trained and Van had met few that could fight like this. The cloaked fighter was about to charge Van again when the man called out to him.  
  
"Akia! Sheath your sword!"  
  
"But Lord bashan!"  
  
"Now Akia." Bashan commanded.  
  
Akia sheathed his sword and stood strait. Van sheathed his own and Sarah followed. Every one but Bashan seemed confused.  
  
"Allow me to explain. I have found what I have been seeking. I have no need to fight any longer. You see, my fellow scientist Dornkirk was defeated by this same power and I believed that he had simply been to weak." Bashan lowered his head.  
  
"But truth be told, I to have under estimated this power, the power of the human will and the emotion known as love. I certainly didn't think it was capable of surpassing even death. Yet it has. I am finished with my research and I wish for rest. I have accomplished my life goal. You all should leave Zaibach immediately." He said, but no one moved a muscle.  
  
"Why should we trust you?" Van asked.  
  
Bashan sighed. "The fortress will explode in one hour. I should expect you will want to leave."  
  
"But what about you?" Hitomi questioned.  
  
"My wish is for rest daughter of the moon. I shall stay and wait to be reunited with my friends."  
  
They all nodded. Sarah, Van and Hitomi left the room. Akia stayed.  
  
"Akia? Aren't you going to leave?"  
  
Akia shook his head. "I will join you for you are the only family I have known."  
  
Bashan nodded in understanding and then began to sleep, waiting for eternal rest.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
"So, are we ready to go?" Van asked.  
  
"Well I should think.......Wait! I just remembered.......The raids."  
  
"Raids?" Hitomi questioned confused.  
  
"There are a lot of orphans in Gaea right now. Zaibach experiments on kidnapped children. They raided the orphan villeges. They may have about twenty kids here."  
  
"Then we have to get them out of here. Let's get going." Van said with seriousness in his voice. (Is seriousness a word?)  
  
Sarah and Hitomi nodded. They went back to the cells and unlocked them. There were about twenty-one kids in all.  
  
"So I was off by one. No big deal......." Sarah muttered jokingly.  
  
Hitomi was too busy to notice because she was herding the kids to the hanger. One little girl was tugging on her sleeve. One little thing did happen to accure to Hitomi.  
  
"Wait a minute. How did they get all you kids here?"  
  
"They brought us in that carrier my lady." One of the older kids said.  
  
They loaded the kids in the carrier that had windows to see out and was like a little ship that two guymelefs could carry. It was small but comfortable enough to fit them. Most of them were little kids. Maybe four or five.  
  
Sarah held one side up with angel and Escaflowne's tail attached to the other. Hitomi held on to Van. (I was in a strange mood when I wrote the following part.)  
  
They began their trip back to Fanelia. Showing off of the hanger, Escaflowne's brilliant wings gleamed in the light that now shown brightly on them. Van griped the controls and piloted as genitally as he could for the new passengers. Van saw their faces through the window as they watched the earth bellow. Smiles of wonder and amazement appeared on their faces. Van had a strange grin on his face as he watched them. Hitomi noticed.  
  
"What are you thinking of Van?"  
  
Van was in thought and didn't quite think first about what he was saying. (I think you can see that from what he says next. All people are prone to say stupid things. Even angle boy is no exception.)  
  
"I was thinking about when we would have our own." (Notice the WE. I think you all know what he means.......)  
  
Van turned beat red. *Whoops. * (I myself wouldn't be happy if some one suggested that. -_-' well at least he didn't say it b4 now.) Hitomi was silent for a good long time. Van wondered what she was thinking.  
  
"Are you going to slap me?" (Well, some one had to ask.)  
  
"Well.......I would.......It's just I have to use my hands to hold on or I'll fall. So for now, no."  
  
Van winced. *That's gonna hurt. *  
  
After a few more minutes of silent flight, they dropped the kids off at Fanelia. Sarah was to help them find new homes and families. A good deal of the kids called out thanks to their saviors.  
  
"Thank you lady Hitomi!"  
  
"Thank you lord Van!"  
  
Van and Hitomi smiled and watched them leave. Just one little thing that needs taking care of.  
  
/SLAP! / Hitomi didn't hit him very hard.......(She wasn't that mad. Just a little ticked. I would be to and I can't blame her.)  
  
Van winced and rubbed a red mark on her cheek. (Here comes the fluff! ^_^)  
  
Hitomi smiled. "Aww.......does it hurt?"  
  
"Yes." Van muttered still rubbing his cheek.  
  
"Here. I can make it feel better." Hitomi smiled and removed his hand from his cheek and then kissed him where the red mark was.  
  
"Thank.......you." Van said a little surprised.  
  
The pair headed back to the castle. About evening Hitomi was in the garden. Van walked over to her and asked if he could talk with her.They chatted a bit, but Hitomi had something she desperately wanted to ask him.  
  
"Van?"  
  
"Yes Hitomi?"  
  
"Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Anything you want."  
  
"I.......can I.......stay here with you this time?"  
  
Van was shocked, this was about the last thing he expected. *Well I guess now is as a good time as any.*  
  
Van bit his lip. "Only if you'll answer my question."  
  
Hitomi looked up confused, but she nodded.  
  
Van stood in front of her and got on one knee. (YES! YES! YAY! THIS IS MY FAVORITE PART!)  
  
Hitomi stared in disbelief.  
  
"Hitomi......." Van began. "For the past three years I have had to live with out you and I don't wish to go through that again. Every day that you have been here has been a happy dream for me and I still pray that it isn't. I don't believe that I would be able to bare spending one more day with out seeing your beautiful face. I love you and I wish to spend the rest of my life with you. Hitomi Kanzaki, will you marry me?"  
  
Hitomi sat there in shock. Van began to feel uncomfortable. Should he have asked? Then Hitomi started to cry tears of joy.  
  
"Yes! I will marry you Van Fanel." Hitomi embraced Van. Then they kissed. It was a kiss that was sparked with romance, passion, joy and happiness. Van and Hitomi's wings burst from their backs and shown in the setting sun. And the two angels stood there wrapped in each other's wings.  
  
~@~@~@~@~  
  
After Van's proposal, Hitomi and Van traveled to the mystic moon to see Hitomi's parents. They learned all about Van and they approved and wished the couple whole hearted happiness. Hitomi promised to come visit on the holidays to see them, and Van agreed. Mrs. Kanzaki said that Van was quiet the hansom young man and Van blushed. Van and Hitomi had a big wedding and Merle was flower girl, Sarah was the bride's maid. Allen was best man and Gaddes was the other guy person. (Look, I don't know much about weddings okay!) And Tyru was the ring bearer. (Tye Ru is the Cat boy servant in chapter 12. I gave you the pronunciation when I say Tye Ru Btw. You spell it Tyru.)  
  
After the wedding they had a huge party. Couples danced as kids ran and played. Millerna had attended and was now dancing with Allen. Merle was dancing close with Tyru, and to everyone's surprise, Celena and Gaddes were dancing their hearts out. All couples made way for the newlyweds of course. It was a grand sight. Off in the distance in the shadows a young woman sat in a tree. Her eyes twinkled with laughter at the sight of the new king and queen. She watched her friends with joy. Her ruby eyes lit with her smile.  
  
"Ala hota maku shi tile. Doma koto me raku nisha doo pa suku. Jobo ba lasha demo." (This isn't her real language. I have to make this part up since I'm too lazy to decipher the whole thing sorry.)  
  
"Or in your language my friends, Long live the king and queen. May your happiness last your whole lives long. Peace be to Gaea at last." Sarah smiled once more and disappeared into the shadows. But do not fear friends. The lady dragon shall always come back to her dear companions. And she will see that her statement shall be true. Peace on Gaea at last.  
  
_________________________________________________________  
  
I DID IT! THE ENDING! WOW.......THE ENDING!  
  
Sarah: I like it.  
  
Van: *Kisses Hitomi* Me too!  
  
Hitomi: *Giggles* Thanks lady winged knight.  
  
Merle: *Giggles* ^_^ What about you tyru?  
  
Tyru: Yes. I like it too. ^_^ *Kisses merle's hand*  
  
Merle: Same here!  
  
Fluff: WONDERFUL!  
  
Yami: It didn't stink.  
  
Me: I guess that DOES mean a lot coming from you.  
  
Yami: UNTIE ME PLEASE!  
  
Me: Oh fine! *Unties Yami*  
  
Yami: Thank you.  
  
Dilandau: It stunk.  
  
Me: Be quiet! I'll kill you again if you don't be good.  
  
Dilly: @.@U Okay it was good.  
  
Allen: It was nice.  
  
Millerna: Agreed. *Giggles*  
  
Folken: Every one should stop giggling. I think the story needed me.  
  
Me: You're right there. oh well. Next time I guess. What did you guys think. My first ending! I'm so happy! *Cries tears of joy*  
  
Sarah: Here she goes. BYE! R&R. Please look for a possible important message after this. I may need to inform you of something very Kewl. ONE MORE IMPORTANT THING: Would you guys read the sequel to this? Or a prequel that tells how they met Sarah and where she was during all this? Would any one actually care to read Sarah's history of her life b4 Van and Hitomi? Please tell me! Once Again READ AND REVIEW! 


	19. ANNOUNCEMENT!

70 REVIEWS! After this I will faint from happiness. ^_________________^ Sorry about the anticlimacticness of the end. I know that may have sucked to some people. Okay! I finished my story and now you guys will get my important message. But first I want to reply to you guys! Btw, when I said Sarah's History, I'm going to include it IN the prequel or sequel if I write them.  
  
KuraYami Robe: I'm glad you liked it. I luv anime people! Otakus? What's that? Sorry, I've never heard of that b4. I tried your email and it said that it didn't exist. Thank you and I will. Please go ahead to my announcement!  
  
Destiny7: Yes I did. Sorry. ^_^ Yes! You must write! -_-' Cereya. *Shakes head * LOL! You people never cease to make me laugh. Thank you Xien. Teya! I like Xien! @.@ Dang........Do they really do this all the time? And I thought I had problems with MY characters. You too and same to you! Please go ahead to my announcement!  
  
Dradigo: I'm glad you liked it. I'm sorry about the ending. I know. I did make it anticlimactic. I have a few reasons for doing that. One was I was tired of the fight scenes. It takes me forever to write those up. (I know. Lame excuse.) Two was the fact that I had to options. One was to make Van and Sarah kill the guy. I didn't really like that option. Two was to end it like this, but it was anticlimactic. I eventually went with the latter and I was a little disappointed myself. Sorry. ^_^U This is my first ever fan fiction and my first ending. Please cut me a little slack. I'm glad you liked the end though. I know I made some mistakes. I need a little work, but not bad for a first try right? You never said if you wanted to read the sequel or prequel.  
  
Dawn and dusk: ^_^ Yeah I finished! I know, sad huh? ^____________________________________________^ Just check my message. I'm hoping it makes you happy. *Grins really wide * You'll see. *Smiles knowingly *  
  
Lyra Eyota:  
  
Yami: You better be!  
  
Me: I have an Idea! *Uses authoress powers to get the necklace from Inuyasha and puts it on Yami. * SIT!  
  
Yami: AH! Oof. *Falls to the ground *  
  
Me: YES! Yeah, I saw that part. Lol. I know. Its called Yu-gi-oh. It's one of my favorite animes. ^_^ I'm glad you're happy. Yeah, it's sad that they do that to merle. I'm mean to merle, but only in fun. I honestly really like her character. You want me to write more? *Smiles * Move on the announcement please. ^_^  
  
Sqeekers: The sequel would be mostly Sarah, and the prequel would be how they met her. You want to see them. Hehehe........Don't forget to see the announcement. I like coffee! I HAD 50 CUPS TODAY! I FEEL GREAT! No nOtHiNg'S WrOnG. WhY WoUlD yOu SaY tHat? Lol JK. Please see said announcement now.  
  
HERE IS THE ANNOUNCEMENT!  
  
ANNOUNCEMENT: I have written and posted the first Chapter of the prequel to this story, Known as the Hidden angel. The Story will be from Sarah's point of view. I will have difficulty writing, so please bear with me. The story is about how Sarah met the cast of Escaflowne and where she was during the series. I hope it will prove to be interesting.  
  
Once again sorry about the downer non-battlish ending I gave you. 


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